“We are better than this” – pro-life MPs tear into failed abortion amendment
from SPUC:
Last night was one of celebration for pro-life supporters, as Diana Johnson’s extreme abortion amendment was not added to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.
After fierce opposition in and outside of Parliament, neither her amendment, New Clause 55, which would have decriminalised abortion up to birth, nor that of her Labour colleague Rupa Huq, on introducing buffer zones, were selected by vote by the Speaker.
Rattled by the strength of opposition
Diana Johnson, who was clearly taken aback by the level of public opposition to her proposed law change, began the debate by insisting that her amendment was only a “probing” one, to hear the view of Government. She accused opponents of spreading “much misinformation”, and said, “The behaviour of some hon. Members and national organisations, particularly on social media, is not helpful to the proper scrutiny and debate in this place of serious issues.”
“Changing the law means changing regulations”
Ms Johnson insisted that decriminalising abortion would not mean deregulation. However, as Bob Blackman MP pointed out, “Changing the law means changing regulations. The central and implacable legal fact of new clause 55 is that repealing the relevant sections of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, and relevant offences under the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929, will immediately undo all the safeguards provided by the Abortion Act 1967…new clause 55 would sweep away all current legal safeguards and protections, not only for the unborn child, but many that protect women. The 1967 Act would, in effect, be void, leaving England and Wales with one of the most extreme abortion laws in the world.”
See also:
Major pro-life victory, by Catherine Robinson, Right to Life UK
Woman with Down’s syndrome leads challenge to ‘discriminatory’ law on abortion, by Sian Griffiths, The Times: ‘I will not tolerate it,’ says Heidi Carter, 24, whose team is demanding an end to terminations up to delivery
Abortion law discriminates against those with disabilities, bishops argue, by Madeleine Davies, Church Times
55 pro-life rallies held across Ireland, from The Iona Institute
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