By Dave Lord

A FURIOUS Scots MP has accused the country’s most senior Catholic of attempting to intimidate politicians into outlawing abortion.

Pete Wishart, who represents Perth and Perthshire at Westminster, hit out after Cardinal Keith O’Brien launched a fierce attack on elected members who back the controversial procedure.

Cardinal O’Brien had told politicians to stop co-operating in what he termed an “unspeakable crime”. He also suggested a boycott of politicians who fail to speak against abortion and called on medical schools to change their teaching.

However, Mr Wishart urged his colleagues to “stand firm” and “not be cowed” by the church leader’s comments.

The MP clearly feels the church should remain well away from the political arena and accused the cardinal of using underhand tactics.

“Moral issues such as abortion should be left to the MP’s individual conscience,” Mr Wishart told The Courier.

“The Catholic church is of course entitled to its point of view on this issue but the last thing Scotland needs is to end up like the United States of America where churches and faith groups have an undue influence on political debate.”

Mr Wishart admits that politicians face difficult decisions but said they should be free to do so without interference from the likes of Cardinal O’Brien.

“In the past year the Catholic Church and some other faith groups have used similar tactics to try and stop equality legislation, but they have substantially upped the ante by tackling abortion in this manner,” he said.

During a sermon at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh yesterday Cardinal O’Brien called on politicians to have “no truck with the evil trade of abortion.”

He suggested that MPs should find ways of overthrowing the legislation which “makes the killing possible”, while those at Holyrood should “refuse to allow health services to participate in the wanton killing of the innocent”.

“In Scotland we kill the equivalent of a classroom full of school children every day.

“Let us build up within our society a generation of medical professionals who are unwilling to co-operate in the slaughter.

“I call on our universities and medical schools to teach that all human life deserves protection.

“I call on all politicians to answer one simple question: will you protect the right to life of all persons in our society from conception until natural death?

“For those unwilling to give this support we must be unwilling to give our vote.”

Cardinal O’Brien claimed abortion had become an alternative form of birth control for many women.

His words marked the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act and came just two days after figures showed the number of abortions carried out in Scotland is continuing to rise.

There were 13,081 therapeutic abortions performed in 2006, compared with 12,603 the previous year.

Fellow Perthshire politicians last night said they would examine their own consciences before voting on any matters relating to abortion.

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser said, “As a spiritual leader, the cardinal is quite entitled to express his view on the moral issues of the day.”

Perth MSP Roseanna Cunningham also respected the cardinal’s right to speak out on the subject of abortion and said she would think deeply before voting on related issues.

“The cardinal is of course forcefully restating Catholic teaching, so none of his comments should come as a surprise,” she said.

“As he recognises, abortion is a matter currently reserved to Westminster so it will not come before the Scottish Parliament.

“However, I believe that issues such as this should remain matters of conscience and as with other such subjects I will look at the evidence for any proposals that come before me in Parliament and on the basis of the evidence and my own conscience will vote as I think is appropriate.”

Meanwhile, Angus MP Mike Weir said, “The cardinal’s views on the subject are well known and his comments come as no great surprise,” writes Ralph Barnett.

“I think, however, that it is up to members of the public and politicians to exercise their own judgment on this and other issues.

“My own view on the matter is no secret—I don’t personally favour abortion but I believe it is a matter which should be left to the individual to decide and I certainly would not want to be part of any attempt to have the current legislation overturned.’

Dundee politicians have also defended women’s abortion rights, writes Stefan Morkis.

The cardinal’s comments come just days after it was revealed Dundee had the record for the highest abortion rate in Scotland for the fifth consecutive year and on the 40th anniversary of the Abortion Act becoming law.

Liberal Democrat MSP Jeremy Purvis accused the cardinal of using “inflammatory” language and said it was wrong for religious leaders to put pressure on, or even threaten, politicians.

Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie said politicians had to make up their own minds on the issue.

“My own personal view is that I never want to see a return to the days of back-street abortionists.

“However, I do support a new Royal Commission to look at the issue of time limits.

“Abortion is a very real issue of moral concern for many people, not just Catholics.”

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick added, “We are a free and democratic society where free speech is an important part of it and that Cardinal O’Brien is fully entitled to his opinion and fully entitled to express it.”

Earlier this week Dundee East MSP Shona Robison, the SNP’s health minister, said the Scottish Executive was committed to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies through its national sexual health strategy Respect and Responsibility.