An Oxfordshire MP is at the forefront of a controversial Bill which would make abortions more accessible.

Amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embyology Bill, which have been tabled by Oxford West and Abingdon MP Dr Evan Harris, are being debated by the Commons 0n Wednesday.

They include plans to remove the need for two doctors to sign-off every abortion.

Further amendments supported by Dr Harris would allow nurses or midwives to carry out abortions and relax the rules about where they take place, meaning those carried out in the first three months of pregnancy could take place in health clinics or community contraceptive centres.

Dr Harris said: "Everyone agrees that, where abortions take place, they should take place as early in gestation as possible. So it makes sense to update a law drafted 40 years ago, which has been overtaken by clinical practice and which creates unnecessary delays.

"The amendments which I am backing are supported by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the Royal College Nursing, and implement the recommendations of the science and technology select committee."

Father John Saward, parish priest at SS Gregory and Augustine Roman Catholic Church in Woodstock Road, is among those who have petitioned Dr Harris in a bid to persuade him to change his views.

He said: "As far as I can see, Dr Evan Harris is attempting to make abortion even more available without any restriction whatsoever.

"This means thousands more human beings will be killed."