Conservative MP Jacob Ress-Mogg has been asked to alter a "harmful" remark on morning after pills.

This issue came after Labour MP Dame Diana Johnson brought up the topic of women's contraception in the Commons on Thursday (February 3).

A campaign by the women's parliamentary Labour party, journalist Rose Stokes and the British Pregnancy Advisory Service led to Boots cutting the price of the emergency contraception from £15.99 to £10.99.

As reported by BBC News, Dame Diana had praised this as an important step but claimed cuts to public health budgets and the fragmentation of the NHS meant it was "more difficult for women to access contraception advice".

She asked Rees-Mogg, who is leader of the House of Commons, whether he could designate some time in the Commons to debate an MPs' report on sexual and reproductive health in the UK.

However, in response Rees-Mogg said: "The right honourable lady cannot expect me to speak in favour of abortifacients [substances that induce an abortion]."

The MP for North-East Somerset is Catholic and has spoken publicly against abortion previously.

What was the reaction to Jacob Rees-Mogg's comment?

Rees-Mogg's comment led to a backlash on social media, with campaigners and charities calling on him to correct the record.

The charity BPAS (British Pregnancy Advisory Service) tweeted: "In Parliament yesterday Jacob_Rees-Mogg referred to emergency contraception as an ‘abortifacient’.

"While we highly doubt that many women would take medical guidance from Mr. Rees-Mogg, he nevertheless should correct the record as a matter of urgency."

Dame Diana told the BBC: "To quote the World Health Organization, 'emergency contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy by preventing or delaying ovulation and they do not induce an abortion - emergency contraception cannot interrupt an established pregnancy or harm a developing embryo'.

"The leader of the House needs to correct the record as to the harmful clinical falsehood he perpetuated in answer to my question."