I just wanted to update you on a positive development.
As you may have heard, Rupa Huq MP tabled an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that would introduce ‘censorship zones’ around abortion clinics nationwide.
Hundreds of women have been helped by pro-life volunteers outside abortion clinics who have provided them with practical support that made it clear to them that they had another option other than going through with the abortion.
The proposed legislation would introduce a jail term of up to two years and/or an unlimited fine for anyone that speaks about abortion to a woman seeking an abortion within 150 metres of every abortion clinic in the country. This would include offering a woman practical, emotional, or financial support to be able to continue a pregnancy if she is unsure about her decision.
The amendment was expected to go to a vote this week at Committee Stage of the Bill, where only the 17 MPs on the Bill Committee would have been able to vote for it.
Thanks to the hard work of a large group of supporters, MPs in these 17 constituencies have received a deluge of emails and contact from constituents asking them to oppose the amendment this week.
It appears that it became clear to Rupa Huq and her supporters today that she was going to lose the vote and this afternoon it was announced that her amendment had been withdrawn!
Thank you to all the supporters from these 17 constituencies who have made contact with their MPs asking them to oppose the amendment and those of you from among our wider supporter base who have made their concerns about this amendment clear to the Government.
NEXT STEPS
While the amendment has been withdrawn, there will still be an opportunity for Rupa Huq to bring back the amendment at the upcoming Report Stage of the Bill. Similarly, there may be other abortion and assisted suicide amendments brought forward at Report Stage.
We’ll be keeping you updated via our Right To Life News platform as this progresses and I will be in contact with you via email if you need to take any actions.
In the meantime, well done on the outcome today and thank you for your ongoing support.
Catherine Robinson
Right To Life UK
