AT the start of this parliamentary session, anti-abortionists decided against seeking legal changes to restrict women's right to Instead they aim to curb the Abortion Act by administrative measures which do not have to be debated or voted on by MPs.
Crewe, who is on the Standing Committee Judith Arkwright about the current threats to abortion rights and what Labour MPs ought to do.
form is to be filled in by a doclol allel perturing aul abortion.
At committee meeting this month Gerard Vaughan, the health minister, said that it is the result of consultation the medical profession.
We say it is the result of pressure put on by the anti-abortionists during the course of the Corrie The form is supposed to provide information DHSS, but it's both confusing and detailed.
What the form leaves point that this is what he was doing:
But this measure has been in lorce since March, so now we have on the fight call y against it.
If the NHS facilities for abortion were available, then the working or une 19o/ Adoraon Act would be acceptable. But bring up the question of legislation again, the pressure this House of commons would make Il more difficult to obtain In the Labour Party we would like to see WICe those who wish to have health service abortion should be able to do so with the best level of care where they lu walleı IVC Changes I don't think we need changes the statute book. We can obtain the changes we need 1f had money and facilities l1 they can use aaministrative measures, so don't want start the argument again. There is someone trying to bring a Corrie-type Bill through the House of Lords now. It's not succeeding, but it shows they will keep trying. We have to concer ene lag l present is the present adhered to.
Abortion is a vital issue for trade unionists The aim of the labour movement conference on abortion on 14 March is to mass campaign to commit the next Labour government to This campaign has to go and for the Labour Party. But I do accept that religious some will have a different point of view.
sort of socialist who believes that one can dictate to people the Labour sion then I will do my see it's carried OCOL LU out.
But I'm anxious not to lose the tree vote. l have often voted against own government on the Common Market issue for example which 1 regard as a matter of conscience. Ignore The firm abortionists would nore the whip anyway whip won't make any difference.
Most MPs are now aware of the arguments for and against abortion; that much was clear in the call alell Women's groups and trade union should fight to convince the Labour Party as a whole rather than forclie cuic say, people will argue inal inis is an issue ol conscience and we won't Chance putting a whip on.
The national executive supBo Bad intonation to It has been called by Labor Abortion Rights National Abortion Labour valuarol!
Make sure voure
the conference. It is at Rising London NT, Saturday 14 March begins at tuam. A crecne is available. launch a questions. to the Labour Party.
It is also vital that the trade union bloc vote on abortion at Labour conference be democratically determined by the rank and file.
The articles here describe some of the most important and trade unions side!
the whip if they choose.
abortion issue snotgun tion challenged Facilities always been ministrative' provision to the next.
stood. It would change its somewhere in Whitehall.
issue issue IS every year.
special faced up to and solved No free vote From the Labour Abortion Rights Campaign executive committee LARC does not believe in dictating to people, which is why we support a woman's choice on abortion.
The difficulty over the free vote is that at present Labour MPs are able to vote against clearly defined policy that is overwhelmingly agreed by the Labour Party unlike the issue of Common Market membership They can do this without giving it a second thought, many don't bother to vote and some even campaign on the other Labour MPs have always been able to abstain on issues of conscience - or defy If the free vote were abolished they could still vote against a whip on the nobody is going stand around the division lobbies with a If the issue of abortion came under the Labour whip, MPs would at least be obliged to be there and they would also consider the issue with some care We don't believe that the 1967 AborAct can ever work satisfactorily in the long run. It has only accidentally given women greater choice and thus the interpretation of the Act can always be The failure of the '67 Act to lay down a provide facilities has flaw. 'Admeasures to improve the of abortion really aren't good They can be changed at any Firm legal arrangements would make it rather more difficult for women's lives and health to be kicked around like a political football from one administration A good law would have the merit of allowing everyone to know where they be more difficult to provisions out of sight We're sure a lot of MPs don't want the 'opened up again. But for any women facing an unwanted pregnancy and an unsympathetic gynaecologist the immediate and there are around 100,000 women in this position The problems which arise solely out of the barbaric and outdated laws can be made to go away. If these things present conscientious socialists, those difficulties have to be Labour Abortion Rights Campaign PO Box 110, London SE21 8ND
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establish a woman's right to choose in law and in practice.
hand in hand with the fight for Labour MPs to be accountable
KEEP JU LEGAL for Labour MPs!