In Depth:  abortion

politics & policy

James Mildred

In Matthew 13:36-43, Jesus explains the parable of the weeds. The basic teaching is that at the end of the age there will be a great harvest. “The weeds” will be thrown into hell, while “the wheat” will shine like stars in a new world. Until that great day, the righteous and unrighteous shall coexist in this world.

It has struck me afresh in recent weeks that this is a perfect analogy for Christian engagement in politics. At CARE (Christian Action Research and Education), we are deeply privileged to have an office at the heart of Westminster. We are just five minutes walk (three if you leg it!) from the Houses of Parliament. Our location facilitates our relational approach to political engagement.

Nicola Laver

Abortions in Northern Ireland have surged by nearly a third, according to the latest statistics. Abortion in the province was decriminalised in October 2019, and has seen a significant increase every year since.

In the year ending 31 March 2024, 2,792 abortions were recorded, a 28.78% increase on the previous year and representing the biggest percentage rise in abortion in the UK in 50 years. The figures also revealed a 61.7% increase in abortions of unborn babies over 12 weeks gestation, including 198 surgical abortions. Abortions for non-fatal disabilities, such as Down’s Syndrome, more than doubled to 56.25%.

Nicola Laver

Claire Brennan, a Roman Catholic, is being prosecuted after she had been holding a sign reading Pray to End Abortion, praying the Lord’s Prayer inside a ‘buffer zone’ outside Causeway hospital, Coleraine, NI.

A police officer accused her, and a wheelchair-bound colleague, of causing ‘harassment, alarm and distress’. She was arrested and her lawyers subsequent attempts to defend her on human-rights grounds was refused. Brennan is now due to appear before magistrates in October.

Nicola Laver

A top gynaecologist and Marie Stopes director has admitted being behind guidance which warns doctors not to report a woman who has undergone an illegal abortion, without her consent. The apparent conflict of interests has prompted calls for an inquiry.

Any doctor reporting a suspected illegal abortion could face a disciplinary, imminent new guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) will say. The RCOG said it is ‘never’ in the public interest to investigate and prosecute in such cases.

Nicola Laver

A legal challenge against a decision to impose an abortion clinic ‘buffer zone’ that includes residential properties has failed. However, the court clarified that the behaviour in private homes and gardens was not covered by the Order.

Meanwhile, draft guidance on buffer zones fails to fully protect silent prayer.

Milla Ling-Davies

As many as one in three pregnancies in the UK may now be ending in abortion, projections from an independent public health consultant state – prompting alarm from Christians.

A new report from Kevin Duffy of Percuity says that while one in four pregnancies ended in abortion in 2019, the figures are predicted to have shot up to one in three for 2023. Overall, the number of abortions in England and Wales this year could be as high as 325,000.

Nicola Laver

A local authority-imposed abortion buffer zone in an area that includes private homes has been challenged in the High Court.

Separately, a pro-life campaigner was given a fine by police after being questioned outside a Birmingham abortion clinic (the council has said it will not pursue the fine).

Nicola Laver

A court has ruled that a woman with schizoaffective disorder, who was almost 18 weeks pregnant, should have a medical abortion – using ‘covert’ medication and restraint if she was non-compliant. 

The 26-year-old woman had been detained under the Mental Health Act and was suffering psychosis at the time. With one exception, she had reportedly made clear she wanted a termination. The woman previously had a surgical termination but had threatened to kill herself if she was to have another.

Nicola Laver

A significant rise in the numbers of abortions in Scotland is likely to get steeper if the new First Minister of Scotland succeeds in having existing restrictions lifted.

A record number of abortions in Scotland took place in 2022 (16,596) compared to 13,940 in 2021, according to figures from Public Health Scotland. The rise was most significant in deprived areas, such as Forth Valley, Lanarkshire and Grampian.

Nicola Laver

The government has admitted that abortion clinic buffer zones are incompatible with human rights laws – less than a week after an amendment to the Public Order Bill was approved that would introduce buffer zones.

The new Clause 9 – which establishes buffer zones (‘designated areas’) around abortion clinics where it would be an offence to interfere with people accessing or providing abortion services – will likely now have to be redrafted in terms that are compatible with human rights law.

Nicola Laver

The anti-abortion cause in the UK has gained momentum, galvanised by the State-side Roe v Wade ruling in June, with more young people than ever joining the fight to protect the unborn.

In England and Wales, where record numbers of abortions took place last year, the largest-ever March for Life UK saw record numbers of young people join the procession. The annual march, held in London on 3 September, adopted the theme ‘10 Million Too Many’ and took place just days after temporary laws allowing DIY home abortions were made permanent.

Nicola Laver

Peaceful pro-life protests and prayers outside abortion clinics in England and Wales could soon be illegal under proposals set out in the Public Order Bill.

Under an amendment to the Bill, put forward by Rupa Huq MP (see photo), anyone within an abortion clinic buffer zone who interferes with a pregnant woman going for an abortion faces up to two years in prison.

Nicola Laver

Temporary ‘DIY’ abortion rules introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic will be made permanent in Wales, the devolved government has announced.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said it was a ‘progressive step’ and added that she had carefully considered the responses to a public consultation in Wales and decided the arrangements were safe.

Nicola Laver

A new landmark statement formalising the Christian position on abortion with a doctrinal emphasis has been published online.

The Life Affirmation has been drafted by a group of anonymous Christians holding academic qualifications in theology and in medicine, as well as experience in pastoral ministry.

Lawyers for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) have told the High Court in Belfast that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland exceeded his authority when he ordered Stormont ministers to roll out late-term abortion across the Province.

John Larkin QC, former Attorney General for Northern Ireland, spoke for SPUC in its application for a judicial review of the abortion regulations introduced earlier this year by Brandon Lewis, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. It is expected that the court’s final decision may take months.

The High Court will hear Heidi Crowter’s legal challenge to abortion laws on 6 July, it has been announced.

Crowter, 25, is bringing the case against the government with Máire Lea-Wilson, whose 23-month-old son Aidan has Down’s syndrome.

Nicola Laver

The UK government has taken unprecedented and controversial steps in an attempt to force Stormont to implement new abortion laws.

In March 2020, abortion law in Northern Ireland (NI) changed allowing terminations for any reason during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and thereafter only in certain cases. No limit has been placed in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities.

Pandemic measures allowing for complete home abortions since March 2020 could become permanent.

Under temporary legislation, women up to ten weeks’ pregnant can take two consecutive ‘abortion pills’ at home, followed by a remote medical consultation, avoiding the need to attend a clinic in person. Previously, only the second pill could be administered at home.

Image, an organisation that provides a Christian response to abortion and helps resource the church in this area, reached its 30th year of service in 2020.

A spokesperson for Image said that in their experience the church has largely seen abortion as a peripheral issue, too sensitive to mention, and so has remained silent and inactive, while many in congregations across the UK (some say as many as one in three women) will have travelled that route.

The influential Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee released a report in April which is highly critical of the UK Government’s approach to imposing abortion on Northern Ireland.

The Committee highlighted a number of concerns with the new regulations.