Monday 17 March 2008

The danger of abortion amendments

In today’s Daily Mail, David Cameron, the Leader of the Opposition, who says that he will vote to lower one of the upper time limits for abortion from 24 weeks to 20 weeks, also says he will vote for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology bill as a whole and to retain abortion up to birth of disabled babies.

Most MPs will only consider a change in the 24-week line if abortion up to birth continues for disabled babies; and we can expect further conditions to be demanded before they allow restrictions on late-term social abortions.

These conditions could include removing restrictions to abortion on demand in early pregnancy, allowing nurses to perform certain types of abortion and extending the Abortion Act to Northern Ireland.

That’s why SPUC considers it dangerous to introduce upper limit or any abortion amendments in the current Parliament.