Alithea Williams, blogpost
Happy New Year! 2024 has barely begun, but it’s already clear that this is going to be a busy year for the pro-life movement. Here’s a rundown of what to expect in 2024.
Extreme abortion amendments to be debated
On Tuesday 28 November 2023, Labour MPs Dame Diana Johnson and Stella Creasy tabled amendments NC1 and NC2 respectively to the Government’s Criminal Justice Bill. Both amendments would decriminalise abortion. The Bill is currently at the Committee stage (so there’s still a chance for you to submit your response the Public Bill Committee). They will be debated in Committee this month, but the likely next step is that they will be withdrawn by the proposers and then re-tabled at Report Stage, where there is an opportunity for MPs to vote on them. Assuming the Government sticks to the usual conventions, the earliest the Bill could come up for Report stage will be the week beginning 12 February, but given the other pressures, it may well be even later than that. The Speaker will then decide whether to allow a division (vote) on the amendments. This ties in with a quote from Clare Murphy of BPAS, who said that “MPs will be asked to vote on this amendment in February”. This gives us another month or so to be write to MPs, so take advantage! These amendments are very dangerous, and we need a massive push to defeat them.
Buffer zones introduced?
While buffer zones were written into law last year as Section 9 of the Public Order Act, the evidence is that 2024 is when they’ll come into effect in England and Wales. In November, the Government announced that it would be consulting on the Home Office’s draft guidance on enforcing “abortion clinic safe access zones” and that “following consultation we anticipate commencing Section 9 in the spring of 2024”. While the fact that buffer zones are in the law of the land is a stain on our democracy, the draft guidance is more favourable than we might have expected, and it seems to allow for pro-life prayer and help in some form. It is therefore very important that people respond to the consultation so that the final guidance is as good as it can be. More information can be found here.
In Scotland, The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee has just finished consulting on Gillian McKay MSP’s Bill to introduce buffer zones around abortion facilities in Scotland. This committee will decide whether the bill should move forward. If so, we can expect it to be debated in the course of this year. Given the difficulties of implementing this legislation in England and Wales, there is still all to play for in fighting it in Scotland. Scottish supporters can write to their MSPs here.
A big push for assisted suicide
Dignity in Dying has tweeted: “We’ve never been so close to making history. We start 2024 with Bills moving forward in Scotland, Jersey & the Isle of Man. Change is coming and there is a realistic prospect that some British citizens will have a legal option for assisted dying as early as 2025.”
While the assisted suicide lobby (like most campaign groups) says that every year is going to be their year, there are some real dangers coming in 2024. The much-delayed McArthur Bill in Scotland is likely to be debated this year, along with the bills in Jersey and the Isle of Man. There has been a flurry of stories of celebrities backing so-called “assisted dying” in the last few weeks. Kit Malthouse MP has a ten-minute rule bill coming up, and if, as we expect, he chooses assisted dying as his subject, that will also contribute to it staying in the media. As I write this, Sir Keir Starmer is in the news saying that he favours a law change. This is significant because of the next point…
General Election klaxon
Under parliamentary rules, a general election must be held no later than 28 January 2025. However, it’s almost certain to take place this year. In the last few days, the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said that his working assumption is that the poll will take place “in the second half of the year”. That means we’re probably looking at an October date. Whatever the outcome, this election is sure to change the political landscape dramatically. Many sitting MPs have announced that they will not stand, and many more will lose their seats, meaning a big churn in the make-up of Parliament. The polls currently point to a Labour victory, and while SPUC is not party political, it is accepted on both sides of the debate that a bill on assisted suicide is far more likely under Labour than the Conservatives (an assumption only strengthened by Sir Keir’s comments). In addition, the main drivers of further liberalising abortion laws, Diana Johnson and Stella Creasy, are Labour MPs – having them in the governing party rather than the opposition is sure to make a difference.
As always, SPUC will be empowering supporters to interview their local candidates on pro-life issues. It’s going to be a busy year!