The British Government’s order to the Northern Ireland health service that it must commission a widespread abortion regime by next spring is “unjust”, “gravely disquieting” and threatens the Good Friday Agreement, Catholic bishops have said.

In a joint statement, the Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin, and four other bishops in the North, also criticised politicians who have welcomed the “unilateral imposition”.

The bishops urged church-goers to push abortion as a key election issue ahead of next year’s polls for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

“As our society prepares in coming months to engage in the ultimate expression of democratic participation — the election to our local Assembly — we encourage all Catholics, and those share our view on the inviolability of all human life, to reflect carefully on the issues raised by this succession of unilateral impositions by the Westminster government,” they said.