‘Let’s do this’: Heidi Crowter resolute in campaign to change Down’s discrimination law

Down’s syndrome campaigner Heidi Crowter has said she remains resolute in her commitment to change the law that allows babies with the condition to be aborted up to birth.

Despite losing “strength in herself” when the High Court rejected her case last month against disability discrimination in the womb, Heidi has vowed to fight on.

She brought the case against the Government in July, describing the existing law as intolerable, “downright discrimination” and “deeply offensive”.

Appeal

Speaking to BBC News, Heidi said: “We’re going to ask the Court of Appeal to see if we can appeal and we’ll go from there – let’s do this.”

She also said: “I do feel discriminated against and the law doesn’t change how I feel.”

let’s do this

In support of her daughter, mum Liz said: “To hear that somebody thinks there’s no discrimination when the rule of the land is 24 weeks for one baby and full term for a disabled baby – it’s clearly discrimination.”

Unborn babies

Heidi is joined in her battle for justice for unborn babies with Down’s syndrome by fellow campaigner Máire Lea-Wilson, whose son Aidan was also born with the condition.

Under current legislation, abortion is permitted up to 24 weeks for most reasons but is available at full-term for children deemed to have a disability – including Down’s syndrome.

According to Public Health England, more than 85 per cent of babies with a Down’s syndrome diagnosis are aborted.

Last year, figures from the Department of Health and Social Care showed a 5.6 per cent increase in babies aborted with Down’s syndrome from the previous year, with abortions for the condition rising from 656 in 2019 to 693 in 2020.