Editorial Friday 5 October 2012: Another glimpse of Huntism: the principle of the 24-week abortion time limit; down to 12 weeks?

Goodness me. The 'Hunt Jeremy' game is well and truly over.

Sam Coates, Rachel Sylvester and Alice Thompson of The Times reveal that The Bellflinger's idea of a low-key eve of conference interaction with the media is to call for the abortion time limit to be reduces to 12 weeks.

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Click here for details of 'Lansleyshambles - game over, as Jeremy ‘Bellflnger’ Hunt does the reconfiguration hokey-cokey', the new issue of subscription-based Health Policy Intelligence.

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The Times article reveals that Mr Hunt said he had reached this conclusion after studying the evidence, denying that his stance was a consequence of his Christian belief: “everyone looks at the evidence and comes to a view about when they think that moment is, and my own view is that 12 weeks is the right point for it. It’s just my view about that incredibly difficult question about the moment that we should deem life to start. I don’t think the reason I have that view is for religious reasons.

"There are some issues that cut across health and morality, a bit like capital punishment does for crime. There are all sorts of arguments in favour and against in terms of deterrence and justice but also there is a fundamental moral issue that sits behind it. I think abortion is one of those issues”.

Mr Hunt is of course entitled to his opinion about abortion. He should be able to express his view. This is an issue on which many people feel very strongly.

Equally, the right to abortion is a political bellwether issue. If anyone were in any doubt whether The People's Jeremy were on the right wing of the Conservative Party, they will no longer be once they know this.

There is also an issue of whether Mr Hunt should have accepted the job of being the Secretary Of State For Health in a legal system where the NHS provides and funds abortions up to 24 weeks if it is his strong belief that such a policy is wrong by 100%.

This is either a matter of principle or it is not. Mr Hunt does not agree with the current law. It will no doubt become clear in the next 48 hours whether he agrees with his own party's policy on the abortion time limit.

It is quite a potential conflict of interest.