10/03/2025
What are your feelings on this?
Today the Crime and Policing Bill is back in Parliament for its second reading. This Bill is incredibly important to women in England Wales, with the potential for an MP to introduce an amendment to remove criminal sanctions associated with abortion.
Decriminalising abortion would ensure women can access healthcare safely, confidentially and without judgement, and importantly also allow healthcare professionals to do their jobs.
Abortion is an essential form of healthcare and should be subject to regulatory and professional standards like other medical procedures, not criminal sanctions – and by passing an amendment to decriminalise we will be ensuring women and girls in England and Wales have the same protections as their counterparts in countries such as Northern Ireland, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
We will be watching today’s debate closely and encourage MPs to speak in support of an amendment to be laid to decriminalise abortion.
Polling shows that the public does not believe women should be prosecuted in relation to ending their own pregnancy, and this Bill presents a timely opportunity to bring our legislation in line with the view of the public and of MP’s constituents.
Read our full position statement on decriminalising abortion, also signed by 30 other women’s health and leading medical organisations, here: https://brnw.ch/21wRdL3