This decision, passed by 185 votes to 148, means that women in England and Wales will no longer face prosecution for performing their own abortions, regardless of gestational age or reason – such as sex-selective termination.
Clause 208 of the Crime and Policing Bill, originally introduced in the House of Commons by Labour Member of Parliament (“MP”) Tonia Antoniazzi, was debated in the Commons in June 2025 for only 46 minutes and passed with 379 MPs for and 137 MPs against.
The House of Lords’ vote on Wednesday followed a failed attempt by Baroness Rosa Monckton to remove the clause entirely. The change does not alter the current 24-week legal limit for abortion but eliminates criminal sanctions for self-induced terminations beyond that point.
Critics, including Christian groups and other pro-life groups like Right to Life and Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (“SPUC”), argue the Bill passed by the Lords undermines safeguards, increases risks to women’s health and could lead to more late-term abortions, including of viable babies....<<<Read More>>>...
