Image: Paul McSherry/SPUC
The Bishop of Paisley and President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, Bishop John Keenan, has criticised the Scottish National Party (SNP) for their censorial cancellation of SPUC’s planned fringe event at the Party’s annual conference, which was set to examine the reality of coerced abortion.
SPUC’s event was to highlight the fact that there is no specific criminal offence for men who coerce women into having abortions. It was also due to explore how updating Scots law could protect vulnerable women. However, with just days to go, the SNP informed SPUC that our event had been cancelled. SPUC then called upon the Party to reinstate our event, to which they doubled down. As such, SPUC is now pursuing legal action.
In comments to The Herald, Bishop Keenan said:
“Alongside other organisations, the pro-life movement is finding its events cancelled on account of those who disagree with them and it raises important questions about our willingness to listen.”
Lamenting the growing trend of censorship, Bishop Keenan continued:
“If we allow the loudest voices to decide which opinions may be heard, we risk creating a public square where people are afraid to speak honestly, and where important questions go unexamined simply because they make some uncomfortable.”
Just a matter of weeks ago, on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, Bishop Keenan lambasted plans for the decriminalisation of abortion (i.e. abortion up to birth) in Scotland. In a statement, he said:
“The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland is deeply concerned by renewed calls to decriminalise abortion in Scotland and to remove existing legal safeguards governing the ending of unborn human life. These proposals would permit abortion up to birth for any reason, including sex-selective abortion.
“…We are deeply disturbed that the Scottish Greens believe abortion should be treated “like any other healthcare procedure”. This claim simply does not match the brutal reality of abortion, which is the deliberate ending of an innocent, defenceless human life.”
SPUC Comment
Commenting on Bishop Keenan’s intervention, SPUC’s Communications Manager, Peter Kearney, had the following to say:
“We at SPUC warmly welcome Bishop Keenan’s words of support for SPUC and condemnation of the SNP. We have long benefitted from his support of our campaigns and initiatives, and consider him a friend and ally in the fight against the culture of death. When I interviewed Bishop Keenan last year, he spoke powerfully against both the then threat of assisted suicide and against plans for abortion decriminalisation in Scotland.
“As for the SNP’s cancellation of our event, SPUC is tackling this head-on. The first aspect of our response is legal, with us having begun the process of instructing solicitors. And our other method of responding is practical, with a demonstration planned for Saturday 17th October outside Party Conference. If you can attend this, please do!”
Please do join SPUC this Saturday 17th October outside the SNP conference venue in Aberdeen to protest the cancellation, and make the reality of coerced abortion a little clearer to passing delegates and even MSPs. You can register your intent to join us here.
