National leader Christopher Luxon has refused to say what he thinks about people who choose to get abortions after facing criticism for his views on the procedure.
Acting Prime Minister Grant Robertson hit out at the National leader on Monday accusing him of putting out political spin to hide his true feelings.
It comes after National MP Simon O'Connor caused outrage by posting "this is a good day" on social media after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade.
On Friday (local time), the US Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 ruling, which recognised the constitutional right to an abortion and legalised it nationwide.
Removing abortion as a constitutional right leaves it up to each state as to whether or how it may restrict it. The decision saw several states implement immediate bans, forcing women to travel long distances to access reproductive healthcare.
Luxon told O'Connor to remove the post and assured Kiwis abortion laws wouldn't change if National is elected, but Robertson questioned that, pointing to his previous comments about it.
In 2021 Luxon revealed he is pro-life and believes abortion is tantamount to murder.
When asked about his views on Monday, he told Newshub he still has a pro-life stance.
"I acknowledge I have a pro-life stance at a personal level," he said. "Simon has his own views as do others in our Caucus. They should be free to express that but in this case, it was actually being misinterpreted as the National Party position and therefore it wasn't appropriate."
When asked what he thought about people who chose to have an abortion, Luxon reiterated his pro-life stance.
"As I said I have a pro-life stance. It's a very difficult and a very agonising decision," he said.
He is yet to clarify whether he still believes abortion is tantamount to murder despite Newshub asking early Monday morning.
O'Connor, meanwhile, is facing calls to resign over his post. In his Tamaki electorate, constituent Kerry Sorensen-Tyrer said he has to go.
"I call for him to step down. Simple as. It was the way that he celebrated. I don't feel that anyone in that position should have the right to throw that into the conversation."
Sorensen-Tyrer along with other local women are calling for him to step down.
O'Connor and Luxon aren't the only MPs facing criticism over their view on abortion.
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta faced criticism on Monday after she called the US Supreme Court's decision "draconian" despite voting against abortion reform two years ago.
In 2020, the Abortion Legislation Bill, which took abortion out of the Crimes Act, was voted in with 68 votes in favour to 51 against. It meant abortion was no longer a crime in Aotearoa.
It was a conscience vote which meant MPs could vote based on what they believed, not on party lines.
Of the 46 Labour MPs who voted, 37 voted for and 9 voted against including Nanaia Mahuta.
Of the 55 National MPs, 19 voted in favour and 35 voted against. The nine Green MPs all voted in favour along with ACT leader David Seymour.
Mahuta voted in favour of the first abortion reform reading in 2019 but against the second and third. She also voted in favour of legislation to introduce safe zones for women accessing abortion facilities in 2022.
