Jeremy Hunt refuses to say why he wants to reduce the abortion limit from 24 to 12 weeks

Jeremy Hunt is going head-to-head with Boris Johnson in the Tory leadership contest with the winner to be announced on 22 July and by default becoming our new prime minister, but yet he still can't seem to answer questions about why he believes the abortion limit should be reduced.

His reticence made for a rather awkward TV viewing.

The former health secretary appeared on Good Morning Britain, where hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid questioned him on why he supports the reduction, despite saying he wouldn’t seek to introduce a change if he was prime minister.

Morgan asked him: “Just out of interest – why is it your view the law should be reduced – halved – from 24 weeks to 12?”

Jeremy Hunt refused to get into a discussion about it, arguing they are his "personal views".

“It would be fine to get into that discussion Piers if it was something I wanted to change as prime minister, but I don’t and it’s a personal view,” he said.

It’s a free vote matter in the House of Commons and the House of Commons isn’t going to change its mind.

The GMB host wouldn’t budge. “Isn’t it strange that the guy who wants to be prime minister has this view but won’t explain why he has it?”

“Well, he’s on your show,” Hunt demurred. “He’s answering questions about it.”

He’s being very honest about what his view is but he’s also saying that because he’s not going to be changing the law as prime minister, nothing’s going to change, it’s not actually relevant to this particular debate as to who should be the next prime minister.

Morgan tried one final time: “You say you’re on the show and you’re answering questions and you’re being honest, I think people are entitled, notwithstanding your wider view that you don’t want to change the law. It’s a fairly straightforward question: you want to reduce abortion in half the time limit – why? Why would you not explain why?”

“Because it’s got nothing to do with what I want to do as prime minister of this country,” Hunt stated, refusing to engage with the topic.

I’m not going to seek to change the law and when I was health secretary for longer than anyone else I didn’t seek to change the law so that’s why.

For many viewers, Hunt's refusal to answer the question was in bad taste.

Others think Hunt is well within his rights not to answer the question if he doesn't intend to change the law.

Hunt's refusal to answer the question is ironic given that he recently said Johnson needs to answer “difficult questions” about his personal life.

Police were called to the south London flat of his girlfriend Carrie Symonds after an alleged row between the pair.

In response Hunt told Sky News he is "not going to comment on Boris' personal life", adding: "That's for others to make their judgements on."

But what Boris needs to do is to engage properly in this leadership debate, not to shy away from the Sky News live debate that's scheduled for Tuesday evening, which he's been invited to [and] I've said I'm willing to go to.

This is an audition to be prime minister of the United Kingdom and Boris needs to show that he's prepared to answer difficult questions.

And people asked why Hunt is allowed to avoid a question about his personal life, but Boris isn't...

If it's public knowledge, it should be answered.

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