Some Conservative MPs are threatening to derail the Government’s flagship Criminal Justice Bill next month if it includes changes to the law that could be introduced through a drastic amendment to the abortion Bill, which would remove the offenses that make it illegal for a woman to do him. self-abortion at any point up to birth.
While Caroline Ansell served a amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill aiming to lower the abortion limit to 22 weeks, Labor MP, Diana Johnson has also launched an abortion amendment. The amendment does not outline the circumstances in which it will continue to be an offense for a woman to perform her own abortion – the changes to the law will apply to all nine months of pregnancy and will not exclude elective abortions. gender
However, the Mail on Sunday reports that a number of Conservative MPs are furious about the potential insertion of this harsh abortion clause in the Criminal Justice Bill and that some of these MPs are opposed to the party whip at third reading, which could put to jeopardize the entire Bill.
The Mail on Sunday reported that a Conservative MP said “It’s very extreme. We cannot have a situation where abortion is legal at any stage – obviously a recipe for disaster. If we have to, I will consider dropping this Bill”.
Conservative MP Miriam Cates said “To make it legal to terminate the life of a viable infant up to the moment of birth for no other reason than unwillingness is morally wrong.”
REACH PRO-LIFE PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD! Advertise on LifeNews to reach hundreds of thousands of pro-life readers each week. Contact us today.
Nick Fletcher MP added “The decriminalization of abortion will undoubtedly put an end to abortions that take place later, even up to full term. This cannot be right in a civilized society”. Instead, along with 24 other MPs, he will support the -amended by Ansell to reduce the abortion time limit from 24 to 22 weeks.
Regarding his amendment to reduce the time limit on abortion, Ansell said “The increase in survival rates for babies born at 22 and 23 weeks of pregnancy is one of the great success stories of medical science in recent years. More and more babies are born at these ages are the ones who live because of the hard work of the neonatal teams”.
“As in 1990, when our laws were last changed to reflect similar increases in survival rates, it is time to update our abortion time limit. Our current time limit is an outlier compared to our European neighbors and my hope is that this amendment will command broad support across the House”.
It’s time to lower the abortion limit
Originally set at 28 weeks, the abortion limit was lowered in 1990 to 24 weeks’ gestation. Improved survival rates for very premature babies between 24 and 28 weeks are one of the main considerations which prompted this change.
In the decade to 2019 alone, the survival rate for extremely premature babies born at 23 weeks doubledmotivation new guide from the British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM) which allows doctors to intervene to save premature babies from 22 weeks gestation.
Research published in November 2023 by academics at the University of Leicester and Imperial College London indicates that a large number of babies born at 22 and 23 weeks’ gestation can now survive outside the womb. According to this research, there were a total of 261 babies born alive at 22 and 23 weeks, before the abortion limit, who survived to leave the hospital in 2020 and 2021.
However, according to the Government’s abortion statistics in 2021 alone, 755 ‘ground C’ abortions was performed when the baby was 22 or 23 weeks pregnant (ground C is the legal basis on which most abortions are permitted and there is currently a 24-week time limit for abortions performed under the law this).
This leaves a real contradiction in British law. In one room of a hospital, doctors can work to save a baby born alive at 23 weeks while, in another room of the same hospital, a doctor can perform an abortion that will end the life of a baby of the same age.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said that “Regardless of the merits of the Criminal Justice Bill, Diana Johnson’s drastic abortion amendment will undermine the whole Bill and make it impossible for a number of MPs to support i. However, it is encouraging that many MPs are willing to put their parliamentary careers on the line to protect unborn babies”.
“Instead, MPs from across the political spectrum should support Ansell’s amendment to lower the abortion limit to 22 weeks. vote showing widespread public support for reducing the time limit, with support for this reduction strongest among women”.
LifeNews Note: Republished with permission from Right to Life UK.
