Abortion Decriminalised In England And Wales Following Historic Commons Vote

Abortion has been decriminalised in England and Wales following a historic Commons vote.MPs voted by 379 to 137 to amend the government’s Crime and Policing Bill so that it will no longer be a criminal offence for a woman to end her pregnancy at any time.The amendment was tabled by Tonia Antoniazzi, the Labour MP for Gower and passed following a free vote, meaning MPs did not vote along party lines.What is the current legislation around abortion?Abortions are currently legal in England and Wales as long as they are carried out within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy.That’s different to the legislation already in place in Northern Ireland, where abortion has been enshrined as a human right since October 2019.For the rest of the UK, a foetus is considered “viable” once it reaches 24 weeks – meaning it could survive outside of the womb if it had enough support.That means an individual is only allowed an abortion after that point if their own life is in danger or the foetus is showing signs of abnormalities.Two doctors must give their approval for the abortion to go ahead, agreeing it would be riskier for the physical or mental health of the individual in question rather than having an abortion.Doctors may allow an abortion if birth would create a substantial risk to the child.The Covid pandemic also meant the government allowed women to access pills in the post if they want to terminate a pregnancy up to 10 weeks.What did MPs just vote on?MPs just voted in support of Antoniazzi’s amendment to remove women from the 1861 criminal law linked to abortion.It means they would not be prosecuted under the act when it relates to their own pregnancy – even if they abort without medical approval after 24 weeks.However, medical staff who assist would not be protected – although it is assumed the old law will fall out of use.That means a rival amendment from fellow Labour backbencher Stella Creasy, who wanted to enshrine abortion as a human right, failed.She wanted to change the law so neither pregnant people nor medical professionals would be able to be prosecuted for their involvement in abortions.Her amendment aimed to create a new framework and introduce extra provisions to protect abortion laws in the future, but it did not have the backing of many major pro-abortion campaign organisations.Why is abortion a particularly controversial topic right now?Six women have appeared in court in England over the last three years and been charged with ending – or attempting to end – their pregnancy in breach of the 1967 Abortion Act.This sparked outrage from protesters, who said the women had a right to act in relation to their own bodies.It comes after a shocking poll from Ipsos this week found just 46% of 16 to 34-year-old men support abortion for people under-35.There is also international pressure adding heat to the debate after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade, a landmark ruling which protected abortion rights, in 2022.Related...Exclusive: Pro-Abortion Campaigners Fear Medical Staff Could Be Prosecuted Under Law ChangesI Had An Abortion While Working A Full Day. My Co-Worker's 'Feedback' Nearly Made Me Unravel.2 Of Trump’s Court Picks Argued Abortion Pill ‘Starves The Baby To Death’ In WombGrowing Up With No Abortion Rights, I Saw The UK As A Pro-Choice Example – Then I Moved Here

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