Labour Row Brewing Over Abortion Amendments – Guido Fawkes

Labour Row Brewing Over Abortion Amendments

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Tomorrow, the Commons will debate whether to “decriminalise” abortion in England and Wales. Two Labour-led amendments are at the heart of a brewing row…

Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi has put forward an amendment that would allow abortion for any reason up to birth but maintain criminal sanctions for doctors performing late-term or sex-selective procedures, while Stella Creasy’s calls for full decriminalisation in all circumstances. Tensions between the two have already become pointed, with Antoniazzi in the Commons earlier this month saying:

“It is interesting that more than 115 MPs have signed [my amendment], and it has been endorsed by the whole industry… Has my hon. Friend had conversations with them about why they have not signed up to her new clause?”

Creasy whined:

“I am sorry that my hon. Friend feels the need to ask that question. She knows full well that despite me asking repeatedly to meet her and to talk to the campaigners she has been working with, that meeting has not yet been forthcoming.”

Since then, momentum appears to have swung in Antoniazzi’s favour, with her amendment leading by 176 signatures to Creasy’s 113. Creasy has taken to X this morning to accuse her opponents of misrepresenting the facts, while there are reports that Speaker Lindsay Hoyle may only select one of two amendments for a vote. Popcorn at the ready…