Liam Fox has made clear that a Conservative government would reverse Labour's decision to make the morning-after pill available over the counter - a move attacked by the Royal College of Nursing as "a step backwards".

In a separate move it has emerged that an increasing number of members of the shadow cabinet now favour tighter restrictions on abortion.

The Conservative Christian Fellowship's new prayerbook carries a prayer from Fox, which asks members to pray for "a huge restriction, if not abolition, of our pro-abortion laws".

Ann Widdecombe, the shadow home secretary, is patron of anti-abortion group, Life, and other senior Tories are thought to share their views.