Pro-choice group opposes Stella Creasy's abortion amendment
A leading pro-choice group has come out against Labour MP Stella Creasy's plan to overhaul abortion laws, warning the move is being rushed through without enough scrutiny.
Rachel Clarke, head of advocacy at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), said the NC20 amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill does not have the backing of abortion providers.
The amendment would remove criminal penalties for abortion in England and Wales, effectively decriminalising the procedure in all circumstances.
'We are not supporting NC20, and neither are any of the abortion providers in the country,' Ms Clarke told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Tuesday.
She said a separate proposal, NC1, has the support of more than 50 pro-choice organisations – unlike Creasy's.
'Abortion law is incredibly complex. It governs 250,000 women's healthcare every single year,' she said.
'Because of that, it is essential that any huge change to abortion law is properly considered.
'That means involvement with providers, medical bodies, regulators – and proper debate time in Parliament.'
She warned that MPs are being asked to back a 'generational change' after just three hours of debate next week.
'For us, unfortunately, although we truly believe that we need overwhelming and generational change for abortion law, Stella Creasy's amendment is not the right way to do it,' she said.
The amendment has also been heavily criticised by anti-abortion campaigners, who say it would amount to the most extreme liberalisation of the law since the 1967 Abortion Act.
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) said NC20 could allow abortions on the basis of a baby's sex and would remove protections that allow abusers who harm unborn children to be prosecuted.
SPUC said the amendment, along with another tabled by MP Tonia Antoniazzi, represents 'the greatest threat to unborn children and their mothers since the Abortion Act'.
They urged supporters to lobby their MPs to vote against both proposals, warning that abortion 'up to birth' could become possible under the changes.
Votes on the amendments are due to take place on June 17 and 18 during the report stage of the Criminal Justice Bill.
Abortion in England and Wales remains a criminal offence.
However a petition has gathered more than 103,653 signatures urging the Government at Westminster to 'remove abortion from criminal law so that no pregnant person can be criminalised for procuring their own abortion'.
It is legal with an authorised provider up to 24 weeks, with very limited circumstances allowing one after this time, such as when the mother's life is at risk or the child would be born with a severe disability.
During a recent Westminster debate, Labour MP Tony Vaughan said it is time to 'abandon these outdated practices' of prosecuting women.
He said: 'I believe that our laws cannot be fixed relics of the past but must reflect social attitudes and societal norms.'
He insisted 'decriminalisation does not mean deregulation' and that he has not seen evidence 'to suggest that removing the criminal law deterrent would then motivate swathes of women to have abortions after 24 weeks'.
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