MP Tables Amendment to Decriminalise Abortion Up to Birth

Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi has tabled an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill that would fully decriminalise abortion in England and Wales.

The proposal would repeal sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, removing legal penalties for women who procure an abortion at any stage of pregnancy.

Currently, abortion is permitted up to 24 weeks under the Abortion Act 1967, with exceptions beyond that limit if there is a substantial risk to the mother’s life or evidence of severe foetal abnormality. The amendment would remove criminal sanctions for women entirely, including in cases involving late-term or self-administered abortions.

The move could mean that a woman is able to procure an abortion for any reason without any risk of sanctions, including for sex-selective reasons. Women would also be able - if they wished - to mislead abortion providers about how far along their pregnancy is.

Catherine Robinson, of Right To Life UK, said: “This would permit abortion up to birth, even for reasons such as the sex of the baby...It removes all legal safeguards and protections for the unborn child.”

Across-party group of MPs has submitted a separate amendment to reduce the abortion limit from 24 to 22 weeks. Supporters cite medical advances that enable premature babies to survive from 22 weeks.

Previous polling from ComRes has indicated that only 1% of women believe that women should be able to procure an abortion up to birth for any reason. 70% of women would support reducing the time limit from 24 weeks to 20 weeks. The UK time limit is already double the length of the majority of European countries.