Tim Farron has accused journalists of 'banging on' about his faith as he insisted he was liberal on abortion.

The Lib Dem leader was questioned again on his views after a 2007 interview emerged where he told a Salvation Army magazine 'abortion wrong'.

Asked about the issue five times by Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Farron repeatedly stressed women should have the choice and abortion should be 'legal and safe'.

He said: 'I believe women should have access under law which is safe and legal, and I think that's the critical issue - do you believe people should be able to make that choice under law, and do you believe the law as it stands is right and the science that dictates, or rather underlines, that law is right

'I do believe that, I did then and I do now.'

Pressed on his private views on whether he thought it was morally wrong, Farron snapped: 'I think people think it's bizarre that journalists and others spend their time banging on about someone's faith.'

When Ridge denied she was 'banging on' about his faith, Farron retorted: 'You are, you are Sophy. I've answered it, which is I'm a liberal, I protect and defend people's rights to make those choices.

'I believe abortion should be safe, legally accessible. That's what I believed then, that's what I believe now.

'Let's talk about things that are going to affect our children's future now.'

Defending his liberalism, he added: 'Do you know what, the measure of a liberal is someone who protects other people's rights no matter what your personal position is. That is fundamental.

'I think the odd kind of focus upon my faith over the last few weeks is one that I think millions of people will just think is very peculiar.

'I'm one of millions of people in this country who has a faith - some Christian, some not Christian - and the majority probably with no faith whatsoever.

'My job is to fight for the rights of all of those people.'

The Westmorland and Lonsdale MP has been dogged by questions around his faith after being questioned over whether he thought gay sex was wrong. In a similar pattern to questions on abortion, Farron insisted he supported gay rights but repeatedly refused to say whether he thought gay sex was morally wrong.

He eventually relented and said he did not think it was wrong.