England, Wales may vote to decriminalize late-term abortions next week

Two countries in the United Kingdom, England and Wales, may soon decriminalize late-term abortions.

The U.K. Parliament will take a free vote next week on a measure introduced by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, the BBC reports.

Her proposal would remove the country’s criminal penalty for late-term abortions, laid out by the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861.

Women can receive up to a five-year prison sentence for having an illegal abortion; the United Kingdom generally permits abortion up to 24 weeks, with health exemptions for later-term abortions.

“The police cannot be trusted with abortion law – nor can the CPS or the wider criminal justice system,” Antoniazzi told reporters. “My amendment to the crime and policing bill will give us the urgent change we need to protect women.”

Six women have gone to court in England for having illegal late-term abortions – past the point of fetal viability – in the past three years, the report said. They generally had at-home chemical abortions instead of abortions in clinics. Some had elective abortions after 30 weeks of pregnancy.

The MPs will receive a free vote on the legislation, meaning their parties won’t tell them how to vote.

This could result in crossing party lines on both sides, as individual MPs from Labour, Lib Dems, Greens and the Conservative Party have all announced they will back Antoniazzi’s amendment. 

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children opposes the proposal. Its spokesman told the BBC the measure represents “the greatest threat to unborn children and their mothers since the Abortion Act,” referencing the 1967 law legalizing abortion in England and Wales. 

Additionally, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales urged people to contact their MP, telling them to oppose the bill. 

“Keeping abortion within the criminal law provides some level of protection for women and unborn children,” the statement said. “Of course, where cases do arise under the current law, the authorities should act with both justice and mercy. 

“Pregnant women and their unborn babies both have inherent dignity, and as such, mothers need to be supported in welcoming new life.” 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has not announced how he will vote on the legislation, with his spokesman calling it a “matter of conscience.”