Anti-Abortionists On The March - Supported By George Galloway

Posted in Janine's blog on ,

Here's an interesting Early Day Motion. Entitled 'REVIEW OF ABORTION LEGISLATION', it "endorses Recommendation 77 of the Report of the Science and Technology Committee, Human Reproductive Technologies and the Law; and calls on the Government to set up a joint committee of both Houses to consider the scientific, medical and social changes in relation to abortion that have taken place since 1967, with a view to presenting options for new legislation."

Now, what do you think could be the agenda behind this? "Scientific, medical and social changes" are a common pretext of anti-abortionists to argue for a cut in the time limit for abortions, a move that would have a devastating effect on some of the most vulnerable women (link is to a PDF). The arguments for women's choice, however, and for extending rather than cutting the current, 24-week time limit, are not dependent on those changes, but on a timeless principle of women's control over our own bodies.

I'd love to see a 'review' of abortion legislation that would, for example, remove the requirement for two doctors' signatures and introduce 'self-referral' ie. abortion on request, in at least the first trimester of pregnancy. But that is not the 'review' that this EDM is after, which is why Abortion Rights is campaigning against it. Its movers clearly want a 'review' to cut the time limit: the EDM is proposed by Geraldine Smith, Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary 'Pro-life' group which is opposed to all abortion. Its signatories include notorious anti-abortionist Ann Widdecombe.

And George Galloway.

SWP members, and anyone else in Respect who considers yourself a socialist: How much more of this crap are you prepared to put up with?

Hat tip to Chris

The AWL, Labour and the Left

Comments

Submitted by Janine on Fri, 13/10/2006 - 20:28

... 36 Labour MPs also signed it, including (I think) four members of the Socialist Campaign Group (Frank Cook, Ian Gibson, David Hamilton and Lynne Jones).

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