Calls for abortion clinic buffer zones rejected
13 September 2018
Calls for buffer zones to be introduced outside abortion clinics to stop patients being harassed have been rejected by Home Secretary Sajid Javid.
He said such protest-free areas around clinics in England and Wales "would not be a proportionate response".
A Home Office review found cases of harassment and damaging behaviour but they were "not the norm", he added.
Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-45509202
UK government calls for Northern Ireland to consider abortion reforms
Tuesday, 5 Jun 2018
Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley has said she personally backs abortion reform but the Northern Assembly must be restored to consider the issue to avoid disenfranchising 1.8 million people in the UK.
She confirmed that if abortion came before the House of Commons in London, a free vote would take place, as it is a "matter of conscience".
Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/uk/2018/0605/968195-oapa/
MPs call for exclusion zones around abortion clinics to stop protests
Home secretary urged to follow lead of Ealing council in effort to prevent harassment
Dan Sabbagh
Thu 31 May 2018
Dozens of MPs are demanding Sajid Javid introduce exclusion zones outside abortion clinics in England and Wales to prevent protesters from harassing women, ahead of a court case that could see the sole existing safety area scrapped.
Rupa Huq, who represents Ealing Central and Acton, accused the home secretary of sitting on a review started by his predecessor Amber Rudd, which she and 160 other MPs and peers from all parties believe could halt emotive anti-abortion protests that take place outside an estimated 42 clinics.
Can Ealing’s abortion clinic “buffer zone” be replicated to protect women everywhere?
A historic local vote curbing pro-life protesters may be tough for other councils to pursue.
By Anoosh Chakelian
11 April 2018
Anyone living in the west London suburb of Ealing knows of the Mattock Lane protesters. On a quiet road, lining a park and home to an amateur theatre, they stand outside the Marie Stopes sexual health clinic murmuring, shouting and praying (sometimes on their knees), and bearing graphic images for everyone to see.
Growing up in nearby Acton, I knew – as did everyone I knew – many in Ealing who had used the clinic over the years. For free condoms, mainly. But also for sexual health and contraception advice. For the morning-after pill. For chlamydia testing kits. And for abortions.
I had to risk miscarrying in a taxi after taking an abortion pill. Women should be allowed to take it at home
These journeys back from the hospital are a completely unnecessary ordeal, and the government can change this overnight
Claudia Craig
Apr 2, 2018
One year ago, I found out I was pregnant. I was a 22-year-old student and I called my GP. They told me not to worry as I wouldn’t need to see a midwife for about eight weeks. “No”, I said, “you don’t understand – I’m pregnant and I don’t want to be.”
The phone was silent for a few seconds: “Oh. We don’t deal with that sort of thing.”
Scottish Labour MSP withdraws invitation to US academic
Prof Priscilla Coleman authored highly criticised study into link between abortion and anxiety
Libby Brooks
Fri 23 Feb 2018
A Scottish Labour MSP has withdrawn her invitation to speak at the Holyrood parliament from an academic who has linked abortion to mental health issues after fellow MSPs raised concerns about the event.
Elaine Smith, Scottish Labour’s spokesperson on poverty and inequality, invited colleagues to a meeting titled Abortion in Scotland: a solution or a problem? at which US professor Priscilla Coleman had been asked to speak. Coleman was the author of study that looked at the link between abortion and anxiety, mood and substance abuse disorders, which has been heavily criticised.
Ealing Council nears abortion clinic 'buffer zone' amid harassment
A Marie Stopes clinic in London could be the UK's first to receive the cordon after MPs were told of intimidation against women.
Tuesday 16 January 2018
By Greg Heffer, Political Reporter
Pro-life campaigners could be banned from gathering outside an abortion clinic after a council neared establishing what would likely be the UK's first buffer zone.
Ealing Council agreed on Tuesday night to undertake a public consultation on a possible Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) around the Marie Stopes clinic in west London.
Continued: https://news.sky.com/story/ealing-council-nears-abortion-clinic-buffer-zone-amid-harassment-11210696
Jeremy Corbyn backs call for abortion clinic buffer zones
Labour leader is among 113 MPs who signed letter to home secretary calling for action to protect women from anti-abortion protesters
Jessica Elgot Political reporter
Thursday 26 October 2017
The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has backed calls for clinics to have a buffer zone to protect women from persistent anti-abortion protesters, in a letter from 113 MPs from parties across the House of Commons.
The letter to the home secretary, Amber Rudd, which is also signed by the Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, the Green party co-leader, Caroline Lucas, and the SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, says women “face daily abuse when undergoing terminations”.
Continued at source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/26/jeremy-corbyn-backs-call-for-abortion-clinic-buffer-zones
Let’s not shy away from the real reason why everyone mentions the DUP’s stance on LGBT rights, but not women’s rights
Women can’t rely on the benevolence of individually powerful female politicians, or trust in the good intentions of male politicians who mouth the right words up until the moment anything is actually on the line
Sarah Ditum
Tuesday 13 June 2017
Before 10pm last Thursday night, the DUP was a shambles of a party whose leader Arlene Foster was responsible for the cash-for-ash scandal which has cost an estimated £490m and caused the collapse of power sharing in Northern Ireland. The moment the exit poll was in, it became one of the biggest forces in British politics as the prospect of the party entering into a confidence-and-supply arrangement to support a minority Tory government took hold.
Continued at source: The Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/dup-womens-rights-abortion-lgbt-rights-reproductive-theresa-may-coalition-of-chaos-a7788231.html
Leaked Labour manifesto promises abortion rights for Northern Ireland women
May 11, 2017
A leaked draft of Labour’s general election manifesto includes a commitment to extending abortion rights to women in Northern Ireland.
Details from the draft document, which is set to be approved by Labour’s governing executive today, were published by The Telegraph last night.
A full PDF of the draft text has been published by BBC News.
Continued at source: Irish Legal: https://www.irishlegal.com/7251/leaked-labour-manifesto-promises-abortion-rights-for-northern-ireland-women/
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