Paul Nuttall: "I've been pretty open about my views on abortion for many, many years." Image: BBC.

Paul Nuttall, the new leader of the UK Independence Party, has said that he favours cutting the time-limit for abortion to 12 weeks.

Mr Nuttall said on LBC Radio: "I've been pretty open about my views on abortion for many, many years.

Scientific and medical advances

"I would like to see the limit for abortion reduced simply because we've had scientific and medical advances."

When asked to what level he would want the limit cut, he replied: "12 weeks, which is the same as the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and I believe the same as Tim Farron, the leader of the Liberal Democrats."

12 week limit not the answer

SPUC’s Chief Executive John Smeaton said "Paul Nuttall, UKIP's leader, is right to be concerned about the Abortion Act under which nearly 4,000 unborn babies are killed every week in Britain. A 12 week limit is not the answer though since even early abortions kill babies. 97% of abortions are authorised because it’s claimed that pregnancy is a greater risk to the woman's mental health than abortion - when even a Government-funded report found that this was not the case. Most abortions authorised in Britain are unlawful. We urge Mr Nuttall and all politicians who care about unborn children and their mothers to challenge the Secretary of State for Health to stop the breaches of the law."