The North’s Catholic bishops have called on voters to urge politicians to defend the right to life and end a controversial cap on child benefits.

In their pastoral reflection ‘Give Reasons to Hope’, issued in advance of the July 4 Westminster elections, the bishops stated that respect for the fundamental right to life “has been subjected to a reductionist political culture, where people are valued more and more for their utility, or their positive cost to benefit analysis, rather than for their inherent dignity”.

They called on Catholics to ask candidates: “What will you do to ensure the most vulnerable, at the beginning or end of their life, will not be at risk from pressure or harm from others to have their lives ended or to end it for themselves? What position will you take in forthcoming Westminster debates about introducing euthanasia and even more radical laws extending the limits on abortion, and discriminating against those in the womb with disabilities?”

They also said the outgoing Westminster government’s two-child cap on child benefit was, “quite simply, socially and morally abhorrent”.

Calling it a “tax on having children”, they say it has compounded the levels of child poverty in the North.