Margaret Thatcher was prime minister of the UK from 1979 to 1990

Some SPUC supporters have asked for information about Lady Thatcher's parliamentary record on pro-life and pro-family issues.

The following list is necessarily incomplete. In short, she:

• voted for (what became) the Abortion Act 1967 at 2nd reading and at Report stage (voting many times for the bill during all-night sittings), though she was absent at 3rd reading
• showed a mixed pattern of voting on several attempts by anti-abortion MPs to amend the Abortion Act (St John Stevas, Corrie, Alton)
• supported the Human Fertilisation and Embryology bill (now Act) 1990, which enshrined destructive embryo research in law and via which the Abortion Act 1967 was extended with ministerial help
• voted against the equalisation of the homosexual and heterosexual ages of consent (2000)
• voted to retain section 28 (banning the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities) on 24 July 2000
• voted against homosexual adoption (16 Oct. 2002)
• voted against various anti-life/anti-family provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology bill (now Act) 2008

Her record was mixed, with a move in a more positive direction in her later parliamentary years.

John Smeaton, SPUC's chief executive, commented: "After we have prayed for the repose of her soul, we must renew our prayers that one day we will have clear pro-life leadership from our elected representatives." [John Smeaton, 18 April]

Other stories:

• Government's clumsy effort to appease sex-education lobby threatens parental rights
• The Gosnell case and Ann Furedi's reaction to it [SPUC youth blog, 17 April]
• Gestational limits are unwise [The Interim, 17 April]
• Ambulance called to Marie Stopes Abortion centre South London [SPUC youth blog, 16 April]
• Tens of thousands of Peruvians march in opposition to the legalization of abortion [LifeSiteNews.com, 16 April]
• Paralysed builder to carry on Nicklinson's euthanasia campaign [Guardian, 18 April]
• Japan's population suffers biggest fall in history [Telegraph, 17 April]
• The origins of the eugenics movement in Germany [SPUC youth blog, 19 April]
• Barbara Willke, godmother of modern pro-life movement, passes away [LifeNews.com, 15 April]