91% of the 28,000 respondents to a recent poll run by The Telegraph said they are opposed to the extreme abortion up to birth law change that was recently voted through by MPs in the House of Commons.
The extreme abortion amendment, tabled by Tonia Antoniazzi MP, was passed by MPs by a vote of 379 to 137.
This amendment, if it remains in the Crime and Policing Bill and if the Bill receives Royal Assent, will change the law so it will no longer be illegal for women to perform their own abortions for any reason, including sex-selective purposes, and at any point up to and during birth, likely leading to a significant increase in the number of women performing dangerous late-term abortions at home.
A Telegraph reader, Rosemary Wells, commented that the law had “legalised murder”, writing “A baby at full term or even six weeks before birth is capable of living outside the womb and is completely sentient. They’re conscious and able to feel pain. This law has legalised murder. This is legalising the destruction of anyone who is inconvenient and unwanted”.
Another reader, Giles Darling, wrote “Imagine how many people alive today could have been legally terminated if this abortion-up-until-birth policy had been the law in the past? A child with a congenital condition or an unwanted genetic trait could miss their chance to be an impactful future scientist or entrepreneur”.
Bernie Carolan, who contacted his MP about the vote, wrote “I asked her to vote no, as medical professionals have publicly raised grave concerns about the procedures involved in late-term abortions. These are not abstract debates – it’s a matter of life and human dignity”.
Even pro-choice readers shared their displeasure at the extreme amendment. Sheridan Cooper wrote “There is no need for this. I’m pro-choice, but the cut-off point is there for a reason,” whilst Nicola Bradley, who also said “I am pro-choice”, described the law change as “disgraceful”.
There has been a large backlash after Tonia Antoniazzi MP said in an interview that she was comfortable with women being able to abort a viable baby at 37 weeks.
These changes are not backed by the general public nor by women in particular. Polling shows that 89% of the general population and 91% of women agree that gender-selective abortion should be explicitly banned by the law – and only 1% of women support introducing abortion up to birth.