An initiative to modify abortion law led by Labour MP Stella Creasy is facing significant resistance from abortion providers across the country, according to Rachael Clarke, advocacy head at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas). She stated that Creasy's NC20 amendment to the criminal justice bill is not the appropriate approach for revising abortion legislation. Bpas has expressed its support for a different proposal, NC1, introduced by fellow Labour backbencher Tonia Antoniazzi, which is endorsed by over 50 pro-choice organizations, including Bpas and MSI Reproductive Choices, as well as the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Clarke emphasized that abortion laws are highly intricate, impacting the healthcare of approximately 250,000 women annually. She argued that any significant alterations to abortion legislation must involve consultations with providers, medical organizations, and regulators, and should be subject to a thorough parliamentary discussion. With only three hours allotted for debate before critical votes on amendments are scheduled for mid-June, Clarke expressed concerns about the lack of comprehensive discourse surrounding such a profound change.
Currently, abortion remains criminalized in England and Wales under the Victorian-era law known as the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861, although the Abortion Act of 1967 delineates circumstances under which abortions may be legally performed, typically up to 24 weeks. Antoniazzi’s amendment aims to remove women from criminal liability related to abortion, asserting that a woman would not commit an offense concerning her own pregnancy while maintaining the existing framework for abortion access.
Creasy’s NC20 proposal seeks to decriminalize abortion before 24 weeks, which could potentially undermine aspects of the Abortion Act. It also intends to eliminate the threat of imprisonment for late-term abortions conducted outside the Act. Creasy stated that her aim is to reaffirm that abortion is a healthcare issue, thus preserving the established time limit on accessing abortion services.
Recent legal cases, particularly the prosecution of Nicola Packer, who was acquitted of conducting an illegal abortion, have reignited the conversation around abortion laws. Additionally, a petition advocating for the removal of abortion from criminal law has garnered over 103,000 signatures, urging the Westminster government to ensure that no pregnant individual faces criminal charges for seeking an abortion.
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