MPs to vote on decriminalising abortion as the number of prosecution of illegal terminations soars

Less than one in four MPs believe women should be prosecuted under abortion law, new poll reveals

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Abortion is on track to be decriminalised in a landmark vote in parliament next month as the number of police investigations among women spikes.

Currently, a woman can be jailed under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act if they have an abortion outside of set circumstances.

Abortions are generally only legal before 24 weeks and are carried out in clinics after 10 weeks of pregnancy.

But fewer than 1 in 4 MPs believe women should be prosecuted under abortion law, a new poll has revealed.

Dame Diana Johnson has put forward an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill to remove women from the Act in relation to their own pregnancies, which is to be voted on in the House of Commons in March.

Dame Diana Johnson has put forward an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill to remove women from the Act in relation to their own pregnancies (PA)

A poll carried out by abortion provider BPAS, in January 2024 found that 55 per cent of all MPs asked do not think women should prosecuted for having an abortion outside the set rules.

Only 23 per cent supported criminal prosecution, while the rest answered “don’t know”.

Breaking down the data by gender, 77 per cent of female MPs were against criminal prosecution, compared to smaller figure of 44 per cent of male MPs against prosecution.

Rachael Clarke, chief of staff at BPAS, said: “We have seen over time how Parliament, like the wider country, has become more pro-choice.

“We have won votes in recent years on decriminalising abortion in Northern Ireland, protecting women’s access to telemedical abortion, and introducing safe access zones around clinic – and we are confident that decriminalising women will be next.

“We, and more than 30 other organisations, are fully in support of the work Dame Diana Johnson MP is doing in Parliament, and together we are committed to ensuring that women in these desperate situations are provided with care and compassion, not criminalisation.”

It comes after a mother-of-three was jailed last year for using abortion tablets to end her pregnancy illegally during the coronavirus lockdown.

Dame Diana Johnson told The Times: “The vast majority of people accept that abortion is a healthcare issue between a woman and her doctor. Abortion has been decriminalised in other parts of the world, including Northern Ireland, and the sky has not fallen in.”