Spanish roman catholic church have started a new offensive in a battle over plans by the ruling Socialists to liberalise the country’s strict abortion law, the Times reports.

The Spanish Bishops’ Conference (CEE) urged all Catholic MPs in the Lower House of Parliament to vote against a bill to allow abortion on demand, the newspaper says.

Bishop Juan Antonio Martínez Camino said: “Strict church doctrine says no true Catholic believer can agree with or support this move.” He added that those who participated in abortion would be immediately excommunicated.

Under the reforms, abortion would be available on demand up to the 14th week of gestation. The new legislation would also offer abortion up to 22 weeks if a doctor certified a threat to the mother’s health or a risk of foetal malformation.

The present law, passed in 1985, allows abortion within 12 weeks of gestation only in cases of rape and within 22 weeks in cases of foetal malformation. It allows abortion at any stage if a doctor certifies that a woman’s physical or mental health would be at risk if the pregnancy proceeded.

The most controversial part of the proposed reforms would give girls aged 16 the right to abort without consulting their parents, according to the report.

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