Gift of Life has reiterated its call for the Constitution to grant the child in the womb the right to life from conception, in the wake of a proposal to introduce the morning-after pill in rape cases.

The pro-life organisation call-ed on the political class to take a definite stand on amending the Constitution. It said the pill was not only a contraceptive but also prevented a fertilised egg from implanting within the mother's womb.

The group was reacting specifically to "startling" comments made by Labour's health spokes-man Michael Farrugia. Speaking in his personal capacity, he said a debate should be held within the social affairs parliamentary committee on the implications of using the pill in rape cases.

Gift of Life said Dr Farrugia, a medical doctor, was fully aware of the abortive effects of the pill and regretted the mixed messages coming from the Labour Party.

Labour leader Joseph Muscat had been unequivocal in his disagreement with the use of the pill after the idea was floated by a group of young people taking part in a session of the Youth Parliament last week.

They approved a motion suggesting legalising the use of the morning-after pill in cases of rape.

But this might be the start of a slippery slope that ends with the legalisation of abortion, Gift of Life argued.

"We caution the public that, as with other countries, the debate for the legalisation of abortion invariably begins with what are conveniently termed as special cases such as with rape or child deformity.

"The fact that the political parties have not yet taken a definite stand on the Constitutional amendment to clearly guarantee that life begins at conception is all the more worrying."