Fiona Bruce will be the headline speaker at a SPUC conference in April
The pro-life MP Fiona Bruce will be speaking at a SPUC Regional Conference this spring in Congleton. The event is titled Changing Minds - Saving Lives.
As the current Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group (APPPLG), Mrs Bruce has been at the forefront of Parliamentary opposition to attempts to widen the abortion law and to introduce euthanasia in the UK.
Victory against Marris Bill
She was particularly influential in the debate against the Marris Bill - which aimed to legalise assisted suicide - in September, and contributed to its defeat. In a passionate and widely-praised speech, she reminded MPs that "We are here to protect the most vulnerable in our society, not to legislate to kill them. This bill is not merely flawed, it is legally and ethically totally unacceptable."
The bill was defeated by 330 votes to 118.
Mrs Bruce has also been one of the leading lights in parliamentary efforts to protect unborn children from abortion. She put forward a private members bill in 2014 and then later an amendment in 2015 to explicitly outlaw sex-selective abortion - a move which was supported by SPUC [link].
Gendercide
While MPs initially voted in favour of Mrs Bruce's bill to end gendercide almost unanimously (181-1) in 2014, her amendment was defeated by 292 votes to 201 in February 2015 after pro-abortion campaigners successfully lobbied MPs in the week before the debate.
The result should be deeply worrying for anyone who believes in the right to life for all regardless of age, gender, race or ability; but Mrs Bruce's heroic efforts and courage should be praised.
On abortion, Mrs Bruce has also commented: "Once you have enthroned choice, it becomes very difficult to criticise any particular exercise of that choice, even when the life that is being ended is unmistakably one of us."
Mrs Bruce has been a tireless campaigner against sex-selective abortion
Changing Minds - Saving Lives
SPUC's Chief Executive John Smeaton said, "I am delighted that we will be holding a Regional Conference with the aim of 'changing minds and saving lives'.
"The Conference will be hosted by SPUC's Congleton branch and will be addressed by a line-up of knowledgeable and experienced speakers.
"I encourage all who are within travelling distance of Congleton to make every effort to attend this Conference."
Congleton is in the north west county of Cheshire, and is situated approximately 20 miles south of Manchester.
Conference details
The conference is being held on Saturday 16th April and starts at 10am. Also speaking will be the Rt Rev Bishop Mark Davies; Christine Fidler, chief executive of counselling charity Image; and Rhoslyn Thomas, SPUC's Youth and Student Officer.
Tickets, which will include a buffet lunch, cost £10 (£5 for students) and booking details can be obtained from:
Booking beforehand is helpful for catering purposes and would be appreciated. Ample parking is available, but if coming to Congleton by train please notify in advance so that arrangements can be made to collect you from the station.