STATEMENT FROM BISHOP KEENAN President of BCOS on the barbaric vote to decriminalise abortion (NB abortion until birth already takes place legally in some cases)

"Unfortunately, MPs have voted in support of Tonia Antoniazzi’s amendment which begins the reality of the decriminalisation of ‘abortion up to birth’. Notably, the vote took place after less than two hours of debate, and without public consultation.

"The amendment will change the law so that it is no longer illegal for women to perform their own abortions for any reason—including sex-selective purposes—at any point up to and during birth. It is likely to lead to an increase in the number of women performing dangerous late-term abortions at home.

"At the same time, another even more extreme amendment did not go to a vote and will not be able to become law, which would have allowed abortion on demand, for any reason, up to birth in abortion centres and hospitals, removing the time limit, the two-doctor rule and a series of other safeguards provided by the Abortion Act, and which would have made the UK the world's most extreme in terms of abortion law.

"I urge everyone to do all you can to help challenge this amendment in the House of Lords, and I ask you never to give up hoping that the dignity of all human life—from conception until natural death—will be upheld and defended on our shores, and to commit to the support of those who find themselves in difficulty in pregnancy so they can find all the help they need in choosing to keep their babies.

"I am so very grateful to all who engaged with their MPs on this matter to ask them to vote against this amendment, and to all who struggle every day to defend the rights of the unborn in our society and across the world. May God reward your efforts."