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Abortion Rights, the national pro-choice campaign
NEWS RELEASE – 31 October 2006
This afternoon, Conservative MP Nadine Dorries' Bill to reduce the abortion time limit was overwhelmingly defeated with 108 votes for and 187 votes against.
Christine McCafferty MP who spoke against the Bill correctly pointed out that the Bill was ill thought out, cruel to women and not based on science.
She exposed the Bill as being part of an anti-choice campaign driven by extreme religious views from the US to Rome that was being imported to Britain.
Anne Quesney, Director, Abortion Rights said:
“We are delighted that MPs have voted so strongly in support of women’s reproductive rights and against this dangerous and cruel Bill to reduce the abortion time limit. MPs have listened to the arguments carefully and made a decisive statement against the agenda of incremental restrictions in abortion rights advocated by the vocal anti-choice lobby.”
ENDS:
For further information and interviews please contact Anne Quesney, Abortion Rights Director on 020 7923 9792 or mobile 07909 974 101.
NOTES TO EDITOR:
1. Abortion Rights is the national pro-choice campaign, working to defend and extend abortion rights and provide a pro-choice voice to the media. Abortion Rights campaigns to:
- Liberalise the current UK abortion law and make abortion available on request in the first three months and with one doctor’s signature thereafter.
- Improve access to, and experience of, abortion – ensure that all women in the UK have equal access to safe, legal and free abortion.
- Oppose any restrictions to women’s current rights and access to abortion
2. The Bill ‘Termination of pregnancy’ was debated on the Commons floor from at 3.30pm today, Tuesday 31st October 2006.
TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY
That leave be given to bring in a Bill to reduce the time limit for legal termination of pregnancy from 24 to 21 weeks; to introduce a cooling off period after the first point of contact with a medical practitioner about a termination; to enable the time period from the end of the cooling off period and the date of termination to be reduced; and for connected purposes.
The Bill was proposed by Nadine Dorries, Conservative MP for Mid-Bedfordshire.
3. Later abortion – rare but desperately needed
An evidence based briefing sheet on why some women need later abortion has been produced by all of the major pro-choice organisations. Please visit http://vfc.org.uk/content/view/14/28/
Marie Stopes International has produced an important primary research document, based on interviews with women who have needed later abortion. Please see www.mariestopes.org.uk/uk/whats-new.htm
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Abortion Rights
18 Ashwin Street
London
E8 3DL
t 020 7923 97 92
choice@abortionrights.org.uk
www.abortionrights.org.uk
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Abortion Rights is the national pro-choice campaign - working to defend and extend women's rights to abortion. We are building a pro-choice movement to oppose any restrictions in women’s current rights and access to abortion, to liberalise the current UK abortion law, and to improve women’s access to and experience of abortion.
For more information or to join the campaign please visit our website www.abortionrights.org.uk
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