Jeremy Hunt refuses to explain why he wants to reduce legal abortion limit from 24 to 12 weeks

Jeremy Hunt has refused to say on live television why he wants to reduce the legal abortion limit.

The Tory leadership candidate, who is competing against Boris Johnson to be Britain’s next prime minister, has expressed the view in the past that the legal limit on abortion should be reduced from 24 weeks to 12 weeks.

His standpoint has been criticised by women’s rights campaigners and his fellow MPs.

Mr Hunt was questioned about his stance again on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Monday.

He was asked by co-host Piers Morgan: “Just out of interest, why is it your view the law should be reduced – halved – from 24 weeks to 12?”

But Mr Hunt refused to be drawn on the question, saying it wasn’t something he planned on changing if chosen as the next prime minister.

He said: “It would be fine to get into that discussion if it was something I wanted to change as prime minister, but I don’t. It’s a personal view.

“It’s a free vote matter in the House of Commons and the House of Commons isn’t going to change its mind.”

But Mr Morgan then asked: “Isn’t it strange that the guy who wants to be prime minister has this view but won’t explain why he has it?”

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Mr Hunt responded: “Well, he’s on your show. He’s answering questions about it.

“He’s being very honest about what his view is but he’s also saying that because he’s not going to be changing the law as prime minister, nothing’s going to change.”

When Mr Morgan again pressed him for an opinion, Mr Hunt replied: “Because it’s got nothing to do with what I want to do as prime minister of this country.

“I’m not going to seek to change the law and when I was health secretary for longer than anyone else I didn’t seek to change the law.

“It’s not relevant to what I want to do as prime minister.”

Mr Hunt’s refusal to answer the question came after he urged his rival, Mr Johnson, to be more upfront with the media.

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