Britain needs to debate reducing the abortion limit from 24 weeks, the Conservative Vice Chair for Women has said.
Speaking to Politics Home, Maria Caulfield MP said that the current limit was introduced “at a time when babies were really not viable at 24 weeks”.
She added: “Now babies who are born premature grow up to live long, healthy lives like the rest of us.”
‘Precious’
Caulfield did not actively criticise the current law, but did argue that debate on reducing the time limit was necessary, saying: “We’ve got one of the most liberal abortion laws in the world.”
She called for evidence-based laws, saying: “I think we probably need to be doing some inquiries into what medically is feasible.”
The MP for Lewes also opposes decriminalisation of abortion, as currently advocated by abortion giant the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS).
She says the requirement that two doctors have to agree to the abortion is “really precious”, because it “protects vulnerable women”.
Transsexualism
In the wide-ranging interview, Caulfield was also asked about her views on allowing men who say they are women to enter Women2Win – an all-women group which encourages women to enter politics.
She said that while it was not party policy, she would personally be happy to accept it.
When she was appointed earlier this year, she was attacked by BPAS, who claimed she was unfit to represent women because she opposes the decriminalisation of abortion.
However, Caulfield defended her views, saying: “It’s a sad day in this country if you can’t have a different view to someone. To say that someone who has a different view cannot represent women is absolutely ridiculous.”