The House of Lords voted Wednesday to support measures that would decriminalise abortion in England and Wales, including pardoning women who have terminated pregnancies beyond the legal 24-week limit. The vote, 180 in favor to 58 against, follows a similar decision by MPs last summer.
Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of The Christian Institute, called the move “unutterably grim,” saying, “They have shown little regard for public feeling which is strongly opposed to this. They have dehumanised the unborn to a shocking new degree. And they have abandoned women.”
The Lords rejected several attempts to limit the scope of the reforms. Conservative peer Baroness Monckton of Dallington Forest argued that decriminalisation “actually endangers women by removing the current legal deterrent against administering an abortion away from a clinical setting right up to birth.” Her amendment failed 185 to 148.
Tory peer Baroness Stroud proposed requiring in-person consultations before prescribing abortion medication, to confirm gestational age and protect against coercion. That amendment was also rejected, 191 to 119.
Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi had previously sought to end police investigations into women using lawful drugs to induce abortions beyond 24 weeks, while Labour peer Lady Thornton introduced a Lords amendment to pardon those women, which passed.
“It is unutterably grim that the House of Lords has voted to permit a woman to take the life of her baby right up until birth,” Calvert said.
Abortion remains a criminal offence in England and Wales except when carried out by authorised providers up to 24 weeks, with very limited exceptions afterward. Under the Commons amendment, medical professionals facilitating post-24-week abortions could still face prosecution.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, spoke against the changes, warning they “risk making an imperfect situation worse.”
The bill now moves to Royal Assent, where King Charles III will formally sign it into law. Only then will the decriminalisation measures officially take effect. After that, the government will issue guidance to clinics and medical staff, including procedures for telemedicine abortions and handling post-24-week terminations.
“Northern Ireland has already gone down this dark path, but the absence of pills by post here has been a restraint. In England and Wales, telemedicine has already seen a 30% increase in abortions,” Calvert said, highlighting the potential impact of the new law.
The Lords’ approval marks a significant step, but it’s the final stages—Royal Assent and official implementation—before the changes become enforceable.
Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of The Christian Institute, called the move “unutterably grim,” saying, “They have shown little regard for public feeling which is strongly opposed to this. They have dehumanised the unborn to a shocking new degree. And they have abandoned women.”
The Lords rejected several attempts to limit the scope of the reforms. Conservative peer Baroness Monckton of Dallington Forest argued that decriminalisation “actually endangers women by removing the current legal deterrent against administering an abortion away from a clinical setting right up to birth.” Her amendment failed 185 to 148.
Tory peer Baroness Stroud proposed requiring in-person consultations before prescribing abortion medication, to confirm gestational age and protect against coercion. That amendment was also rejected, 191 to 119.
Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi had previously sought to end police investigations into women using lawful drugs to induce abortions beyond 24 weeks, while Labour peer Lady Thornton introduced a Lords amendment to pardon those women, which passed.
“It is unutterably grim that the House of Lords has voted to permit a woman to take the life of her baby right up until birth,” Calvert said.
Abortion remains a criminal offence in England and Wales except when carried out by authorised providers up to 24 weeks, with very limited exceptions afterward. Under the Commons amendment, medical professionals facilitating post-24-week abortions could still face prosecution.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, spoke against the changes, warning they “risk making an imperfect situation worse.”
The bill now moves to Royal Assent, where King Charles III will formally sign it into law. Only then will the decriminalisation measures officially take effect. After that, the government will issue guidance to clinics and medical staff, including procedures for telemedicine abortions and handling post-24-week terminations.
“Northern Ireland has already gone down this dark path, but the absence of pills by post here has been a restraint. In England and Wales, telemedicine has already seen a 30% increase in abortions,” Calvert said, highlighting the potential impact of the new law.
The Lords’ approval marks a significant step, but it’s the final stages—Royal Assent and official implementation—before the changes become enforceable.
