Cardinal Warns Of Abortion TV Ads

The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has warned that allowing abortion clinics to advertise on the TV and radio, will encourage terminations.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor has criticised the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for allowing the adverts, which will allow clinics which profit from offering abortions, to promote their services.

The 79 year old Cardinal, who serves as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, said the move would only lead to an increase in the number of mothers choosing to have a termination.

He said: “I utterly oppose anything that leads to more abortions.

“We have 200,000 a year, this seems to be encouraging more people to have abortions and I think that’s a terrible thing.”

The cardinal, who has frequently spoken out against Britain’s abortion laws, which make it legal to have a termination within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, or even later under certain conditions, was speaking after delivering a sermon in Chester, on Christian unity.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt is also believed to be opposed to the new rules, which are overseen by the ASA, which is a non-governmental body.