The Archbishop of Liverpool has urged Catholics to write to their MPs to oppose hijacking amendments to a government Bill to allow abortion up to birth.
Archbishop John Sherrington, the lead bishop for life issues of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, made his plea after Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi tabled the amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill.
The purpose of the draft legislation, which has reached Report Stage in the House of Commons, is to introduce measures to combat violence, especially against women, and to halt the scourge of knife crime in particular.
Yet Ms Antoniazzi’s amendments seek to decriminalise abortion up to birth for any reason whatsoever.
At present, abortion is technically illegal unless the criteria are met under the 1967 Abortion Act, which also imposes an upper limit of 24 weeks for the majority of procedures to take place.
Archbishop Sherrington said: “We are deeply alarmed by two amendments that have been submitted to the Crime and Policing Bill.
“These would further reduce the protection of unborn children and their mothers.
“Out of compassion for pregnant women and their babies, the Catholic Church believes that the law should offer protection to the unborn and that society should offer support for parents who need it. The proposed amendments would take our law further in the wrong direction.”
The archbishop, a moral theologian, said: “Under New Clause 1, the criminal law would no longer apply in relation to women acting to end their pregnancy, at any time, including up to and during birth.
“This is likely to result in an increased illegal use of abortion pills and an escalation in late-term at-home abortions, putting the lives and health of many pregnant women and their babies in grave danger.
“It would undermine the necessary judicial mechanisms to protect women from being coerced or pressurised into an abortion.”
He continued: “New Clause 20 would decriminalise abortion completely up to and during birth.
“This would leave women with little protection against forced or coerced abortions by families and third parties. Abortion would become available on demand and up to birth.
“There is little support amongst the general public for such an extreme law which entirely overturns the existing framework and totally disregards the humanity of the unborn baby.
“Keeping abortion within the criminal law provides some level of protection for women and unborn children. Of course, where cases do arise under the current law, the authorities should act with both justice and mercy.
“Pregnant women and their unborn babies both have inherent dignity, and as such, mothers need to be supported in welcoming new life. Several Catholic organisations work tirelessly to provide support for parents and children.
“This is the truly safe, compassionate, and caring response to parents who are expecting a baby. I thank them for their work.”
He added: “I encourage all faithful Catholics, and those who care for the lives of children and mothers, to contact their MPs and encourage them to oppose these amendments.”
Right to Life, the pro-life pressure group, said that if abortion was decriminalised there would be a significant increase in the number of women performing late-term abortions at home, endangering the lives of many more women. At present, abortions in England and Wales have reached record levels of more than 250,000 a year.
Such changes would also permit a surge in the sex-selective abortions of predominantly baby girls, the group has said.
The vast majority of the public does not support introducing abortion up to birth or sex-selective abortion
Polling by ComRes, which has undertaken polls for the BBC, ITV, The Independent and Sky News, shows that only one per cent of women support introducing abortion up to birth but 70 per cent of women would support a reduction in the time limit from 24 weeks to 20 weeks or below. Ninety-one per cent of women also oppose sex-selective abortion.
In most European Union countries, abortion is only legal on demand or on broad social grounds up to 12 weeks gestation.
Catherine Robinson of Right to Life said the amendment represent “the biggest threat to the unborn since 1967 when abortion was first made legal”.
“This is an extreme and inhumane proposal that must be defeated,” she added. “We are calling on people around the country to urgently contact their MP and ask them to vote against this amendment.”
<em>(Photo: © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk)</em>
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