Justin Barrett, the National Party leader, said the abortion referendum should be “as divisive as possible”

A new far-right anti-abortion group has predicted that the elderly will be killed by the state after the Eighth Amendment is repealed.

A spokesman for Abortion Never, which is run by the National Party, told supporters “you’re next” at an event last month. The group has registered with the Standards in Public Office Commission so that it can campaign in the Eighth Amendment referendum.

Justin Barrett, the National Party leader, said the abortion referendum should be “as divisive as possible”. He said the main anti-abortion groups thought he was “too controversial” but suggested they would lose the referendum without Abortion Never.

Speaking at the group’s launch last month, he claimed the state would follow a new abortion law with an attempt to euthanise pensioners. “It