Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he would back reducing the term limit on abortions by 'as many weeks as possible'.

The Catholic Tory MP was grilled by the BBC's Emma Barnett on the week of the 50^th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act that first permitted terminations under some circumstances in the UK.

When pressed on his views that abortion was wrong in all circumstances, including after rape and incest, he said: 'A great wrong has been created at the point of a rape. The question is – does a second wrong make it any better?'

He added: 'I'm against abortion. Full stop. I would support reducing the number of weeks... Life either begins at the point of concept or moment of birth. To fix a number of weeks is essentially arbitrary.'

He went on: 'It is important to look at the number of weeks because to abort babies beyond the number of weeks at which they could live outside the womb seems to me extremely difficult to defend.'

Although repeatedly asked to put a figure on the number of weeks he would like to see in legislation, Mogg refused to give specifics but reiterated he was 'against abortion' at all times and said he would support reducing the limit by 'as many weeks as possible'.

The debate touched upon a source of disagreement in Catholic philosophy as to whether politicians should vote for a reduction in the number of weeks at all. One school of thought regards voting to reduce the number of weeks is still voting for abortion to happen in some circumstances and so is wrong while the opposing side see any curtailing of abortion a victory.

It comes after he caused a furore in an interview with Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain by saying he opposed abortion in all circumstances. 

Asked whether he would be against terminations including after rape, he replied: 'Afraid so.'