MPs will have the opportunity to change the UK’s abortion law on May 15, it was announced in Parliament yesterday.
Amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill include two to tighten up the law and two to decriminalise abortion.
Under the 1967 Abortion Act, the procedure is permitted in certain circumstances up to 24 weeks of gestation (about six months of pregnancy).
The law further allows abortion up to birth if the mother’s life is at risk or if the baby has any disability, including Down’s syndrome, cleft lip, and clubbed foot.
Campaigners say the upper limit places the UK’s limit far outside the average cut-off in most countries across Europe, including France, where the upper limit is 14 weeks, and Germany, where it is 12 weeks.
Conservative MP Caroline Ansell’s proposed amendment would lower the upper limit from 24 weeks to 22 weeks.
Her proposal reflects medical advancements within the last 50 years which allow babies to survive with support if born alive at 22 weeks but would save only hundreds of more than 200,000 foetuses aborted in the England and Wales each year.
A second amendment, proposed by Conservative MP Liam Fox, would amend the law to protect children with Down’s syndrome from discrimination because of their condition.
A third amendment, tabled by Labour MP Diana Johnson would in-effect decriminalise abortion up to birth, by removing laws which prevent women from self-performing abortions after 24 weeks gestation.
Louise McCudden, Head of External Affairs at MSI Reproductive Choices (Marie Stopes), told <em>Cosmopolitan Magazine</em> that Johnson’s amendment is “the first milestone towards ultimately decriminalising abortion completely”.
Another amendment tabled by Labour MP Stella Creasy would remove key legal deterrents which prevent women from self-performing abortions at home in the late stages of pregnancy, and would remove safeguards in place on abortions prior to 24 weeks.
The votes on the amendments were announced by Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the House of Commons.
Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark has asked the Catholics of his diocese to write to the MPs to ask them to vote against the pro-abortion amendments.
Lois McLatchie Miller of the pro-life group ADF UK said: “Our current law is wildly out of step with the rest of the world.
Our 24-week limit sits at almost double that of most European countries…yet, unbelievably, some parliamentarians want to make our law even more extreme.
“Abortion up to birth is no win for women,” she continued. “Late stage abortions carry far greater risk to the mental and physical health of a woman, let alone end the lives of viable, fully-developed babies who could survive outside the womb if given the chance to live.
“A humane society prevents this horrendous trauma. Rather than late-stage abortion, women and their babies deserve better care and support to survive and thrive.”
<em>(PA Photo)</em>
MPs will have the opportunity to change the UK’s abortion law on May 15, it was announced in Parliament yesterday.
Amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill include two to tighten up the law and two to decriminalise abortion.
Under the 1967 Abortion Act, the procedure is permitted in certain circumstances up to 24 weeks of gestation (about six months of pregnancy).
The law further allows abortion up to birth if the mother’s life is at risk or if the baby has any disability, including Down’s syndrome, cleft lip, and clubbed foot.
Campaigners say the upper limit places the UK’s limit far outside the average cut-off in most countries across Europe, including France, where the upper limit is 14 weeks, and Germany, where it is 12 weeks.
Conservative MP Caroline Ansell’s proposed amendment would lower the upper limit from 24 weeks to 22 weeks.
Her proposal reflects medical advancements within the last 50 years which allow babies to survive with support if born alive at 22 weeks but would save only hundreds of more than 200,000 foetuses aborted in the England and Wales each year.
A second amendment, proposed by Conservative MP Liam Fox, would amend the law to protect children with Down’s syndrome from discrimination because of their condition.
A third amendment, tabled by Labour MP Diana Johnson would in-effect decriminalise abortion up to birth, by removing laws which prevent women from self-performing abortions after 24 weeks gestation.
Louise McCudden, Head of External Affairs at MSI Reproductive Choices (Marie Stopes), told <em>Cosmopolitan Magazine</em> that Johnson’s amendment is “the first milestone towards ultimately decriminalising abortion completely”.
Another amendment tabled by Labour MP Stella Creasy would remove key legal deterrents which prevent women from self-performing abortions at home in the late stages of pregnancy, and would remove safeguards in place on abortions prior to 24 weeks.
The votes on the amendments were announced by Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the House of Commons.
Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark has asked the Catholics of his diocese to write to the MPs to ask them to vote against the pro-abortion amendments.
Lois McLatchie Miller of the pro-life group ADF UK said: “Our current law is wildly out of step with the rest of the world.
Our 24-week limit sits at almost double that of most European countries…yet, unbelievably, some parliamentarians want to make our law even more extreme.
“Abortion up to birth is no win for women,” she continued. “Late stage abortions carry far greater risk to the mental and physical health of a woman, let alone end the lives of viable, fully-developed babies who could survive outside the womb if given the chance to live.
“A humane society prevents this horrendous trauma. Rather than late-stage abortion, women and their babies deserve better care and support to survive and thrive.”
<em>(PA Photo)</em>
