Christian MPs decry ‘extreme’ attempt to liberalise abortion law

Conservative MPs have condemned an attempt to decriminalise abortion up to birth in England and Wales by hijacking the Government’s Criminal Justice Bill.

Labour MP Dame Diana Johnson’s amendment would remove women from the criminal law related to abortion. The Bill is poised to commence Report Stage, where MPs will be able to vote on the amendment according to conscience.

Several MPs are instead backing Caroline Ansell’s amendment to reduce the abortion limit from 24 weeks to 22 weeks.

‘Immoral, uncivilised, extreme’

Miriam Cates told the Mail on Sunday: “To make it lawful to end the life of a viable baby right up to the moment of birth for no other reason than it is not wanted is morally wrong”.

Her colleague Nick Fletcher agreed saying: “Decriminalisation of abortion will no doubt end with abortions happening much later, even up until full term. This cannot be right in a civilised society”.

This cannot be right in a civilised society.

Another Conservative MP added: “This is so extreme. We cannot have a situation where abortion at any stage is legal – that’s obviously a recipe for disaster. If we have to, I’d consider bringing down this Bill”.

The Christian Institute’s Director, Colin Hart, called the proposal “shocking” and warned: “This crosses a new moral Rubicon and would inevitably lead to full decriminalisation of abortion”.

22 weeks

Last year, a study found that the proportion of 22-week-old babies surviving after being discharged from neonatal care units in England and Wales increased after services were expanded.

crosses a new moral Rubicon

Researchers from the University of Leicester and Imperial College London analysed the impact of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine’s 2019 guidance, recommending doctors give “survival focused care” to 22-week-old babies instead of only those born at 23 weeks and later.

The academics found that of babies who were alive when their mothers entered labour at 22 weeks, the percentage who received care rose from 11.3 per cent in 2018-2019 to 38.4 per cent in 2020-21. Although the numbers remain small, the percentage discharged from neonatal care rose from 2.5 per cent to 8.2 per cent.

In Britain, abortion is legal for most reasons up to 24 weeks. Temporary regulations from the coronavirus pandemic allowing women who are less than ten weeks pregnant to take abortion pills without medical supervision became permanent in 2022, following pressure from pro-abortion activists.