I recognise that there are sincerely held and differing views on abortion, and I believe it is right that votes on this issue are treated as matters of conscience for all MPs. However, I very strongly support a woman’s right to choose and I believe that women should not face the threat of criminal sanctions for making decisions about their own bodies.

In England and Wales, abortion is still governed by criminal law. Under the Victorian-era Offences Against the Person Act 1861 (OAPA) and the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929, having or providing an abortion remains a criminal offence that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. These laws were repealed for Northern Ireland in 2019 and 2020, but remain in place elsewhere in the UK.

The Abortion Act 1967 did not decriminalise abortion - rather, it created a set of circumstances under which abortion is legal, typically up to 24 weeks and with the approval of two doctors. Outside of these conditions, abortion remains a criminal offence. That means women who end their own pregnancies outside the legal framework can, in theory, face life in prison.

Women are being criminal prosecuted on suspicion of ending their own pregnancy under a law passed before women even had the right to vote. In the past three years in England, six women have appeared in court charged with ending or attempting to end their own pregnancy outside abortion law. As it stands, England and Wales has the most severe penalty for having an ‘illegal’ abortion in the world. This is archaic and at odds with modern medical understanding and the views of the public. Women deserve better.

As you may be aware, New Clause 1 and New Clause 20 have been tabled to the Crime and Policing Bill, both of which propose significant reforms to how abortion is treated in law. If either of these clauses is selected by the Speaker, Parliament will have the opportunity to debate and vote on this issue.

As a Whip, I am unable to sign amendments myself, but I am considering both proposals carefully ahead of any discussion or vote. I do not want to see women being prosecuted or imprisoned for making healthcare decisions - particularly when doing so is not in the public interest and only compounds vulnerability and trauma.

If Parliament decides that the law should change, the Government has indicated it will ensure this is taken forward.

Anna

Anna McMorrin
Member of Parliament for Cardiff North | Government Whip
Aelod Seneddol Gogledd Caerdydd | Chwip Llywodraeth