The number of Catholics who believe “the law should allow an abortion if a woman decides on her own she does not wish to have a child” rose to 61% in 2016, a large increase from 39% in 2012 and 33% in 1985, according to the 2016 British Social Attitudes survey.

The percentage of Catholics stating pre-marital sex “is not at all wrong” doubled over the same time period from 38% in 1985 to 76% in 2016. The report found an even greater shift in Catholic attitudes towards same sex relationships. While only 9% said these were “not wrong at all” in 1985, by last year 62% of Catholics agreed with this view.

Catholic views on abortion have been highlighted recently by Conservative MP and leading Brexit supporter Jacob-Rees Mogg, who said in an interview on 6th September that, as a devout Catholic, he opposed abortion, even in pregnancies occurring after rape or incest.

The Social Attitudes Survey found that the highest percentage of people who agreed with its pro-abortion statement were those with no religion, at 78% in 2016.