The abortion rate in Scotland is equivalent to “two Dunblane massacres a day,” the leader of the Catholic Church in the country said today after indicating that MPs who support the practice should be barred from Holy Communion.

Cardinal Keith O’Brien’s comments came in the wake of figures showing a rise in the number of abortions carried out in Scotland.

After taking Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral Edinburgh, where he had urged voters to boycott pro-choice politicians, Cardinal O’Brien called for a change in the law.

“I think it’s far beyond time that the present Abortion Act of 40 years ago was re-examined,” he said,

“We are killing - in our country - the equivalent of a classroom of kids every single day, can you imagine that? Two Dunblane massacres a day going on and on”.

In his sermon the Cardinal, Scotland's most senior Catholic, said politicians who support abortion should be aware of the "barrier such co-operation creates to receiving Holy Communion" but after the Mass he would not say whether he meant that Catholic politicians who back abortion should be cast out from the Church. “I’m not going to say whether or not those who are involved in any way in helping or aiding abortion can approach the altar to receive Holy Communion. It’s not up to me to judge them, I’ll leave that to God to judge them.”

The Catholic Church is officially against abortion and Pope Benedict XVI made similar statements during his visit to Brazil earlier this month when he told the faithful that supporters of abortion had no future in the church.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, added his support to Cardinal O’Brien, urging all Catholics “especially those who hold positions of public responsibility” to educate themselves about the Church's prohibition on abortion so that they could make decisions “with consistency and integrity”. Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor, who is required to hand in his resignation when he turns 75 in August, said: “The long-standing tradition of the Church teaches that anyone who freely and knowingly commits a serious wrong (that is, a mortal sin) should approach the Eucharist only after receiving faithfully the Sacrament of Penance.”

Cardinal O'Brien was criticised for using the "sacraments as a political weapon" by Catholics For A Free Choice, based in Washington.

Jon O'Brien, a spokesman for the pro-choice organisation, said the Cardinals's threats would backfire. “If people want to understand why Catholics often turn a deaf ear to the dictates from the leadership of the Church, they need look no further than Cardinal O’Brien," he said. “It is clear to those of us who remain in the Church that O’Brien has got it seriously wrong."

Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, added that the Cardinals comments were "unacceptable and undemocratic".

“There is an implied call to Catholic politicians and health workers to place Catholic doctrine above the wishes of the electorate," he said.

The Cardinal, who believes abortion has become an alternative form of contraception for women, urged voters to boycott politicians who do not oppose it. There were 13,081 therapeutic abortions performed in Scotland in 2006, compared with 12,603 the previous year, according to the Scottish health statistics.

MSPs denounced the cardinal’s comments as “bullying” and “extreme”. Jeremy Purvis, Liberal Democrat MSP said “extreme and provocative language” was being used against “MSPs and MPs who every day balance their own consciences against what they think are the best interests of their constituents”.

In the sermon, the Cardinal called for legislation, passed 40 years ago in 1967, to be abolished. “I urge politicians to have no truck with the evil trade of abortion. For those at Westminster this means finding means of overthrowing the legislation, which makes the killing possible.” He also called for medical schools to change their teaching. “For those at Holyrood that means refusing to allow our health services to participate in the wanton killing of the innocent,” he said.

Shona Robison, the Scottish minister for public health, said that the Executive was committed to improving Scotland’s sexual health and reducing the number of unintended pregnancies through Respect and Responsibility, the national sexual health strategy.

The Scottish Executive declined to comment, saying it was a matter for Westminster.

Michael McMahon, Labour MSP for Hamilton North and Bellshill, defended the Cardinal saying he was simply "reiterating" the position held by the Vatican.

“The Catholic Church doesn’t bend or sway to meet the position of individual politicians, doctors, or anyone, when it comes to life issues. Why would anyone consider it unusual for the Catholic Church to reiterate its 2,000-year-old position?“ Mr McMahon said.

The Cardinal was also supported by Peter Jennings, press secretary to the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, who said abortion was "murder" and now being used for social convenience. "Any Catholic MP who actively supports and promotes abortion for social convenience has automatically excommunicated themselves from Holy Communion. The Church isn't banning them, they are banning themselves, because the church teaches that only someone in a state of grace can receive," Mr Jennings said.

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