On Tuesday, MPs in Westminster voted in favour of the extreme abortion up-to-birth for any reason amendment, tabled by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi. The amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill passed by 379 votes to 137. The SDLP members of parliament voted in favour of the grotesque amendment.
The vote occurred after a debate that lasted less than two hours. MPs held the vote quickly in an obvious attempt to sidestep a prolonged debate and to prevent closer scrutiny of what the measure actually involved. As the amendment now proceeds to the House of Lords, pro-life groups in the UK recognise that preventing it from ultimately taking effect will be a serious uphill battle.
If given effect, the amendment will make it legal for women to self-induce abortions at any point, including right up-to-birth and for any reason (including sex selection abortions) and it will likely to lead to a surge in dangerous late-term abortions carried out at home without medical supervision. While abortion on demand has in effect been legal in Britain since 1967, until this week there was at least a deterrent in place for attempting to perform abortions classified as illegal (like most abortions after 24 weeks).
It’s also a fact that under these provisions women were very rarely prosecuted for procuring illegal abortions – but the deterrent effect was real. It’s only in relatively recent times that prosecutions occurred in a small number of cases in the UK concerning illegal abortions. There’s every reason to believe this change in prosecutorial practice was instigated deliberately to pave the way for amendments like the one that passed on Tuesday in the House of Commons.
The evidence supports this. Until 2022, only three women had been convicted of having an illegal abortion in the 150 years since the 1861 Act, under which most illegal abortions were prosecuted. But, recently, within just a three-year period, six people have been charged for procuring illegal abortions.
The effect of Tuesday’s vote, if it ultimately comes into force, is that there will be nothing to act as a deterrent for those procuring illegal abortions to end the life of their unborn child. While radical pro- abortion campaigners are celebrating the result, the lives of unborn babies right up to and during birth are now in a considerably more perilous position. Those who argue that the law will still penalise abortion providers and others who carry out illegal abortions know that is not the desire or belief of those who pushed for the latest changes. They’ve made their position clear that they support zero protections for unborn babies.
The fact that the SDLP (a once proud pro-life party) gave its full support in parliament to such an appalling amendment is reprehensible. Tuesday’s vote was not a triumph for progress but a regressive move – one that will, in time, be recognised as such when people inevitably reflect on how devalued human life has become – and recognise that the only path to reclaiming its worth lies in legally defending it once again.
House of Commons: Excellent contribution here by Julia Lopez MP to Tuesday’s abortion debate
The fact that the SDLP (a once proud pro-life party) gave its full support in parliament to such an appalling amendment is reprehensible. Tuesday’s vote was not a triumph for progress but a regressive move – one that will, in time, be recognised as such when people inevitably reflect on how devalued human life has become – and recognise that the only path to reclaiming its worth lies in legally defending it once again.
Absolutely disgusted with sdlp.My husband was a founder member of the Antrim branch of sdlp & all our family were supporters & voters.But never again – they are a disgrace & like Sinn Fein have thrown away the values the Irish once held.May God forgive them.
Horrified by this latest attack on life. If a baby is killed a day after birth it’s murder but a day before birth it’s legal?
This must be a battle engaged with ferocity, to protect the literal murder of unborn human beings. Society is finished when mothers are willing to murder their children in this horrific manner.
Dear Pro-Life Campaign,
Is it any wonder that so few doctors are electing to be G.P.s if abortion services are to be expanded by politicians who are basically not doctors. Doctors should be concerned with saving and conserving life. but if ‘the law’ insist they destroy life, which should be protected from conception to the natural end of life. What is the point of qualifying in medicine (which should ‘cure occasionally,’ relieve often, but comfort always’) What ever happened to ‘First do no harm?