An amendment to the Government's Criminal Justice Bill that would bring the abortion time limit for babies with Down’s syndrome in line with the time limit for babies that do not have disabilities has been signed by 40 MPs from across the British political spectrum.

The abortion time limit under the UK's Abortion Act is set at 24 weeks, but for cases in which a baby is thought to have a disability, including Down’s syndrome, abortion is currently available up to birth. This amendment would equalise the time limit for babies with Down’s syndrome, meaning that it will be set at 24 weeks.

The amendment has cross-party support from MPs from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, SNP and the DUP. This includes former Conservative Party leader and cabinet minister, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, former shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer John McDonnell, former cabinet minister Sir David Davis and former health minister Maggie Throup.

"There is considerable cross-party support to remove an anomaly in UK law which allows those with Down’s syndrome to be aborted up until 40 weeks,” says Sir Liam Fox, a former GP, cabinet minister and defence secretary, who has tabled the amendment. “Many of us believe this is utterly against the purpose of our equality legislation and treats those with Down’s syndrome as second-class citizens when it comes to their rights."