Pro-abortion MP Diana Johnson has tabled an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which would completely decriminalise abortion, including abortion up to birth for all unborn babies.

SPUC is calling on supporters to write to their MPs, asking them to oppose this amendment.

New Clause 55

Last week, the public bill committee rejected Rupa Huq’s amendment on buffer zones, after hundreds of SPUC supporters submitted evidence opposing it.

Now Diana Johnson MP has made a new attempt to hijack this bill with her amendment, New Clause 55. By repealing sections of the Offences Against the Person Act, as well as excluding abortion from the Infant Life Preservation Act, this amendment would allow abortion up to birth.

“Thank you for the tremendous effort you made to ensure that the buffer zone amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill was rejected”, SPUC’s campaigns director, Antonia Tully, wrote to supporters.

“But we have to take urgent action again. New Clause 55 is very serious. If it is selected by the Speaker and passed into law, the last remaining legal protection for the unborn will be removed.

“Please write a simple email to your MP asking him/her to oppose New Clause 55 if it is selected. The debate will take place on 5 July, so please do this as soon as you can.”

Information on how to write to your MP on this matter can be found here.

How not to help victims of abuse

The Clause also contains a new offence, non-consensual termination of pregnancy – when an abusive partner intentionally or recklessly causes a woman’s abortion through abusive behaviour.

“While, of course, we believe that forced abortion should be a criminal offence, this is just a means to make decriminalisation seem more palatable”, Mrs Tully explained. “Removing all protection from the unborn, up to birth, is not a way to help victims of abuse.” 

Rupa Huq has also re-tabled her amendment on buffer zones (New Clause 42). SPUC’s understanding is that this is unlikely to be selected as it was already debated and rejected in Committee.