First Minister Humza Yousaf has reaffirmed his “unequivocal and unwavering” support for buffer zones around abortion facilities in Scotland following the SNP leadership contest.
Following his close victory in the SNP leadership contest, Mr Yousaf, in his new role as First Minister, has fully committed himself to support MSP Gillian Mackay’s buffer zones bill.
Mackay’s members’ bill seeks to outlaw pro-life activity within 150 metres of abortion facilities in Scotland.
First Minister Yousaf is reported to have told Mackay that he will do all he can to ensure the bill is passed.
His spokesperson said: “He [Yousaf] made clear that his support, and the Scottish Government’s support, for Ms Mackay’s Members’ Bill is unequivocal and unwavering.
“The First Minister also offered to explore where any additional Scottish Government support can be given to Ms Mackay and her team.”
On 27 March 2023, Humza replaced Nicola Sturgeon after defeating Kate Forbes in the SNP leadership contest by 26,032 votes to 23,890. Before and after the vote, SPUC condemned Yousaf’s pro-abortion stance, which he made clear during his campaign.
“Scotland deserves a life-affirming leader, who is unafraid to stand up and speak in defence of unborn babies and their mothers”, said SPUC.
Elections have consequences
SPUC’s Michael Robinson, Executive Director (Public Affairs and Legal Services), said: “Elections, whether they be national, local or leadership contests, have real consequences, especially for the unborn.
“In Scotland, the imposition of illiberal buffer zones not only threatens unborn babies and their mothers, but it also an assault on the right to free speech of pro-lifers who seek to offer mothers a way out of abortion.
“Yet Humza Yousaf has shown that he is willing to further expose unborn babies in order to gain the support of the pro-abortion elements of the SNP.
“Rather than choosing to protect the most vulnerable in society – the unborn and their mothers – Mr Yousaf has instead decided to persecute the one group seeking to give a voice to the voiceless.
“As a result, Scotland now risks having the most extreme abortion legislation in Europe.”
Vilification of pro-lifers continues
The persecution and vilification of pro-lifers have intensified over the last twelve months.
Late last year, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, a pro-life Catholic woman, was arrested for silently praying outside an abortion facility in Birmingham. She was charged with four counts of breaching the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), which outlaws pro-life free speech and even silent prayer.
Following her arrest, Ms Vaughan-Spruce said: “What I did was the furthest thing from harmful – I was exercising my freedom of thought, my freedom of religion, inside the privacy of my own mind.
“Nobody should be criminalised for thinking, for praying, in a public space in the UK.”
In March, MPs voted to approve buffer zones throughout England and Wales – including the banning of silent prayer – after a pro-abortion campaign of smears directed against pro-lifers.
In Scotland, a similar attempt to vilify pro-lifers took place when Dr Greg Irwin confronted a peaceful pro-life gathering outside Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Check out SPUC’s new show, Under the Lens, hosted by Catherine Mockler, who demolished the pro-abortion rhetoric of Dr Greg.