Cameron overstepped the mark today

Day three and the election campaign has taken a concerning turn. David Cameron has told a Catholic magazine that there should be a review of the abortion time limit and that he backs a reduction to as little as 20 weeks.

There is a strong tradition of free votes on issues of conscience like this. The fact that he has made this pledge in his first interview of the campaign means abortion is likely to be a key theme for the Tories. Whatever one thinks of the issue – I am proudly pro-choice – I do think that politicians need to be wary of playing politics with such matters.

I am not alone in raising these concerns. In the last General Election a Telegraph poll found that 60% of voters wanted abortion kept out of election campaigning. People have real concerns about the politicisation of women’s bodies. Pledges on abortion should not be used as bargaining chips to win people’s votes.

Of course constituents have the right to know what their prospective MPs feel about these issues. I have already outlined my views on abortion to Cheltenham residents who fall on both sides of the argument. But when it comes to issues of conscience political leaders must tread carefully.

Cameron overstepped the mark today.

James Green is Anticipations Editor and Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Cheltenham. He blogs at www.jamesgreen.org.uk.