Rising numbers of doctors refusing to be involved in abortions have prompted Europe’s leading human rights organisation to consider moves to stop them from acting in accordance with their consciences.

Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe were this week due to vote on a resolution to crack down on “the problem of unregulated use of conscientious objection”.

Proposed by British Socialist member Christine McCafferty, former Labour MP for the Calder Valley, the resolution calls for the removal of the right of doctors to opt out of referring women for abortions.