The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill was debated in the last session of parliament, before the summer recess. The Bill was established to update the 1990 Act- however amendments to restrict abortion law were tabled during the passage of the bill.
During this time, Unions across the West Midlands passed policy to enforce our pro choice position- opposing amendments to decrease the time limit for women wishing to have an abortion and solidifying our commitment to the belief that it is the right of individual women to decide what happens to their own bodies.
The amendments were an area of contentious and intense debate, but they eventually fell by 233 in favour to 304 votes against.
Along with Sophie Kettell, WMANUS Convenor I attended a public meeting in the Houses of Parliament in October, regarding further amendments tabled regarding abortion law, due to be debated on the 22nd of October. Such amendments included extending abortion law to Northern Ireland, letting women take the abortion pill in the comfort of their own homes and removing the law that requires women to visit two doctors before an abortion is approved.
Other amendments, designed to restrict abortion law were tabled, including enforcing a 'cooling off' period before an abortion is approved and increasing the number of doctors required to approve the procedure. After attending this meeting, I set about the task of writing to every MP in the West Midlands, urging them to vote accordingly on all relevant amendments when the Bill is in its final stages of debate (check out the stack of letters
in the first photo!).With allegations of fillibusters and procedural motions to push specific amendments off the agenda, and thus away from the governmental radar, Abortion Rights organised another lobby outside parliament.
Myself and some other West Midlands women went along to show our support to the Abortion Rights movement, and our solidarity to the women of Northern Ireland (see second picture).
