Abortion: MPs propose decriminalisation in England and Wales

A cross party group of MPs has set out new proposals to modernise abortion law in England and Wales.Proposed amendments to current legislation would decriminalise abortion up to 24 weeks and introduce a “lock” to ensure that any future legislation and guidance protects the right to abortion, as has been the case in Northern Ireland since legislative changes in 2019.The changes are being proposed through amendments to the government’s criminal justice bill, which is set to be debated in parliament later this month. The proposed amendments aim to ensure that women who have abortions in England and Wales and clinicians who provide them are protected from prosecution.The amendments are backed by Labour MP Stella Creasy, a campaigner on abortion rights who also proposed the legislation to decriminalise abortion in Northern Ireland.1Under current law, abortion is a crime in England and Wales under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act. The…
Read Original Article: Abortion: MPs propose decriminalisation in England and Wales »