A pro-life advocate and commentator has slammed the mindset behind MPs’ rejection of an explicit ban on sex-selective abortions, saying it reveals deeper beliefs about abortion.
Dr Tim Stanley, who writes for The Daily Telegraph, made the comments in the wake of MPs rejecting Fiona Bruce’s amendment that would have explicitly outlawed sex-selective abortion.
Dr Stanley said a number of the objections to her amendment were “based upon either misunderstandings or outright falsehoods”.
‘No nonsense’
He described one of the criticisms – about the use of the term “unborn child” – as “nonsense”.
Dr Stanley said the rejection of Mrs Bruce’s amendment shows some believe abortion “for whatever reason is a-okay” and is a “fundamental human right”.
The “Left-wing lobby” was opposed to the amendment, Dr Stanley said, but noted that the issue is not a “philosophically Left-Right issue” and that some Labour MPs supported Mrs Bruce’s bid.
Reject
David Cameron also spoke out against the bid in the hours before the vote, saying he supported the current situation.
Ahead of the House of Commons’ debate the Trades Union Congress opposed the amendment, saying it had already “divided communities”.
Labour MPs were then also urged to reject Mrs Bruce’s call by Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
No limit
Stanley commented: “The failure of this very modest amendment says a lot about the state of abortion politics in Britain.
“The Left-wing establishment could not let it pass because it cannot tolerate the concept of any limit on access to abortion whatsoever.”
Speaking after the defeat Rani Bilkhu, a long-time campaigner on the issue, said: “This is an insult to the women we work with who have suffered under the burden of sex-selective abortion and have said they want clarity in the law”.