Labour has called on the Government to reassure women over access to terminations as research found top Cabinet ministers have abstained or opposed votes to expand English abortion law.
Analysis of voting records found senior Tories, including the Prime Minister, Chancellor, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary, have opposed or abstained on most votes to enshrine safe access to abortion in England since 2015.
These include votes on the enforcement of buffer zones around abortion clinics, access to early medical abortion at home and an overhaul of Victorian abortion laws which contains criminal sanctions for women and doctors.
It comes amid concern over the appointment of new Women's Minister Maria Caulfield, who claimed protesters outside abortion clinics may simply want to “comfort” women.
It has now emerged that Ms Caulfield, a former member of a parliamentary pro-life group, holds responsibility for abortion policy in her other role as Health Minister.
Abortion is treated as a matter of conscience in Parliament, meaning MPs are not ordered to vote for or against it by party whips.
More than a third of the cabinet voted against early medical abortion at home to be made permanent and more than a quarter voted against buffer zones for abortion clinics, according to the analysis of parliamentary records.
Rishi Sunak has abstained on all votes relating to abortion in England since he became an MP. He backed granting the Northern Ireland Secretary new powers to impose the commissioning of abortion services in Northern Ireland.
Grilled on his voting record during the summer leadership race, the now-PM said he missed the votes as he wasn't in Parliament and he supported the existing 24-week limit.
"I believe in a woman's right to choose," he said.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt repeatedly abstained or opposed votes on abortion provision in England and has previously argued for the 24-week legal limit to be halved. However he backed the vote on services in Northern Ireland.
Asked about his position in 2019, he said: "My view hasn't changed on that and I respect the fact that other people have very different views."
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly abstained on all the key votes, with the exception of Northern Ireland, while Home Secretary Suella Braverman voted against telemedicine being made permanent and the legal enforcement of buffer zones in 2022.
Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary Anneliese Dodds said: "Women across the country will be really worried about the voting records of senior members of this government and what that means for their right to access safe and legal abortion.
"Women’s abortion rights are being stripped away in other parts of the world. Rishi Sunak needs to be very clear that these rights are not under threat from his government in this country.
" Labour was proud to vote for abortion buffer zones earlier this year. We will always support women and their right to choose."
The Department of Health said the Government takes a neutral stance on abortion and leaves it up to Parliament to decide the circumstances under which abortions should take place.
