Peers vote to back clause pardoning women convicted over illegal abortions

House of Lords decision welcomed as ‘landmark moment’ after attempt to strike out amendment is defeated

Hannah Al-Othman
Thu 19 Mar 2026

Women who have been convicted, and in some cases jailed, over illegal abortions are set to be pardoned after a historic vote in the House of Lords.

Last June, the House of Commons voted to end the criminalisation of women who terminate their pregnancies outside of the legal framework, while keeping the existing framework in place. Doctors and others who act outside of the law could still face the threat of prosecution.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/19/peers-vote-to-back-clause-pardoning-women-convicted-over-abortions

19.03.2026

News

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

Heidi Stewart

House of Lords

Louise McCudden

MSI Reproductive Choices

Nikki Packer

pardoning womn for illegal abortion

UK – Vulnerable women in England still being arrested over suspected illegal abortions

Nottinghamshire and Met police made arrests in past year, despite MPs voting to decriminalise in England and Wales

Hannah Al-Othman, The Guardian
Sun 15 Mar 2026

Vulnerable women in England are still being arrested and facing police investigations over suspected illegal pregnancy terminations, despite parliament backing changes to the law to decriminalise abortion.

Responding to a freedom of information request, Nottinghamshire police and the Metropolitan police confirmed they had arrested women suspected of illegal terminations between June last year and this January.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/15/women-arrested-suspected-illegal-abortion-england-police

15.03.2026

News

arresting women for abortion

Harriet Wistrich

Jonathan Lord

Louise McCudden

MSI Reproductive Choices

National Police Chiefs’ Council

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

The worrying rise of US anti-abortion rhetoric is in full force – how deep is Reform UK’s involvement?

Money is pouring into anti-abortion campaigns in Britain, and it seems Nigel Farage’s party isn’t pushing back…

By Jennifer Savin
20 November 2025

There’s been a lot of talk recently suggesting that we need to keep a close eye on abortion rights here in the UK. With whisperings that what happened in America – the toppling of Roe v Wade, which left a 10-year-old denied an abortion – could happen here, especially if Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party makes it into power at the next election.

While nothing is guaranteed, it’s a scary thought – particularly as we made great strides with abortion care this year.

Continued: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a69468983/reform-uk-nigel-farage-abortion/

UK – What is the truth about crisis pregnancy centres? The anti-abortion facilities creeping across Britain

Many faith-based crisis pregnancy centres are believed to offer an 'ethical' service, but there are some which have been found to be 'misleading' women. It is becoming increasingly difficult to tell which as centres may 'hide their ideological aims'

Isabella McRae
14 Oct 2025

Crisis pregnancy centres, which have been known to “misinform” women around abortion, have become increasingly “professionalised” in the UK and are often unregulated, experts have warned.

These centres are commonly run by Christian groups and promise to offer “impartial” and “ethical” advice for free, but some have been found to be promoting “medically inaccurate” information with an anti-abortion agenda which risks leaving women “traumatised”.

Continued: https://www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/abortion-uk-crisis-pregnancy-centres/

UK – Abortion is close to decriminalisation. But how quickly can rights and progress be rolled back?

More than 100 women are believed to have been arrested on suspicion of illegal abortion over the last five years in England and Wales, but a new law will offer greater protections. The Big Issue asks experts if rights could still be under threat

Isabella McRae
13 Oct 2025

Women have been prosecuted for having an abortion for centuries. Even in recent years, in this country, women suspected of an illegal abortion have been arrested straight from the hospital ward, their homes searched and their children taken away. But a new law set to be passed in England and Wales means that abortion is a step closer to decriminalisation.

Abortion was legalised in 1967, meaning women can have an abortion up to 23 weeks and six days of a pregnancy, provided two doctors agree it meets certain criteria. The laws which are currently used to prosecute women in England were created in the Victorian era.

Continued: https://www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/abortion-decriminalisation-womens-rights-uk/

UK – US Christian conservative groups escalate support for UK anti-abortion protesters

Phoebe Davis

Saturday 16 August 2025

Network of well-funded bodies backs cases in UK after JD Vance’s challenge on buffer zones outside abortion clinics

The Trump administration has warned the UK that “buffer zones” that criminalise protest outside abortion clinics represent an “egregious violation” of free speech and threaten the “shared values that underpin US-UK relations”.

The US escalation in intervening in the prosecution of British anti-abortion protesters comes after the White House took the highly unusual step of criticising the UK for a “worsening” human rights situation, citing “safe access zones” around clinics as an area of concern.

Continued: https://observer.co.uk/news/international/article/us-christian-conservative-groups-escalate-support-for-uk-anti-abortion-protesters

Abortion laws in England and Wales face biggest shake-up in nearly 60 years

Parliament set to vote on decriminalising abortion, with rival amendments submitted by two Labour MPs

Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent
Mon 16 Jun 2025

Parliament is set to vote on whether to decriminalise abortion on Tuesday, in what would be the biggest shake-up to reproductive rights in England and Wales in almost 60 years.

Fierce battles have been fought behind the scenes, with Labour backbenchers Tonia Antoniazzi and Stella Creasy lobbying in an effort to have their rival amendments taken forward for a vote.

It is understood only one will be voted on, and with Antoniazzi’s being the lead amendment on the order paper, it is more than likely that hers will be selected.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/16/abortion-laws-in-england-and-wales-face-biggest-shake-up-in-nearly-60-years

Critics say new UK police guidelines concerning stillbirths and abortions are fuelling a ‘culture of hostility’

By Tessa Flemming
May 30, 2025

Guidelines issued by a leading UK police body have paved the way for investigators to inspect women's period tracking apps and search their homes following a stillbirth.

The divisive advice says police can do so if they believe the pregnancy loss was the result of an abortion outside of legally permitted circumstances.

Continued; https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-30/npcc-guidelines-on-stillbirths-abortions-draws-controversy/105332518

Nigel Farage is trying to restrict your abortion rights, as Reform UK gains political momentum

He called the 24 week abortion limit “utterly ludicrous”

By Kimberley Bond
28 May 2025

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has suggested that he wants to reduce the abortion limit.

… Less than 1% of abortions are thought to happen in the later stages of a pregnancy, according to government data. Experts in the abortion space say they are concerned that should Farage one day get power, ‘floating the idea of reducing the time limit’ is just the start.

Continued: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/health/a64902884/nigel-farage-abortion/

UK – ‘Isn’t abortion legal in the UK?’ Your questions around the need to decriminalise abortion answered

We're campaigning to have abortion decriminalised in England and Wales. Here's everything you need to know, answered

By Catriona Innes
27 May 2025

Last week, we, alongside UK abortion provider BPAS, launched a powerful new campaign, to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales.

While safe and legal abortions are available to most in the UK - roughly one in three women will have one in their lifetime - there’s been a worrying rise in criminal cases being brought under a Victorian law dating back to 1861.

Continued: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a64860406/campaign-ama/