Tory MP attacks BBC for using term ‘anti-abortion’ instead of ‘pro-life’

‘The term pro-life sugarcoats extreme beliefs that few agree with. It is a manipulative phrase,’ major abortion provider’s medical director says

Mr Bone is deemed to be on the right of the Tory Party and previously voted to reduce the abortion time limit to 12 weeks - a point at which some women do not even know they are pregnant (PA Archive)

A Tory MP has attacked the BBC for using the term “anti-abortion” rather than the phrase pro-life.

Peter Bone, the MP for Wellingborough, told LBC radio station he is “disappointed” the BBC are using term “anti-abortion” over “pro-life” – adding that he is in the so-called pro-life category.

Mr Bone is deemed to be on the right of the Tory Party and previously voted to reduce the abortion time limit to 12 weeks - a point at which some women do not even know they are pregnant - from the current legal cut-off point of 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Jonathan Lord, medical director of MSI Reproductive Choices UK, one of the leading abortion providers, criticised Mr Bone’s comments as he warned media publications should never use the term pro-life when discussing abortion.

“Pro-life is a misnomer because restricting abortion puts women at risk for their lives as was recently shown by the US woman on holiday in Malta who was refused a possibly life-saving abortion by doctors,” Dr Lord told The Independent.

He noted the woman was blocked from having an abortion even though doctors said her baby had a “zero chance” of surviving after she had to go hospital with severe bleeding while she was 16 weeks pregnant. Malta has a complete abortion ban, Dr Lord added.

“The term pro-life sugarcoats extreme beliefs that few agree with. It is a manipulative phrase which implies that those who believe in choice over abortion aren’t pro-life,” he said.

“Anti-abortion activists impose their belief on others rather than allowing the individual to make a choice about what is best for their health.”

Dr Lord argued the BBC are “precisely right” to use the term anti-abortion rather than the phrase pro-life.

A study, carried out by YouGov and MSI Reproductive Choices UK, previously found nine in 10 UK adults think women should be able to access abortion services in Britain and specifically identify as being “pro-choice”.

Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the US, explores the difference between the phrases pro-choice and pro-life in a post on their website.

The provider states: “Generally, people who identify as pro-choice believe that everyone has the basic human right to decide when and whether to have children.

“When you say you are pro-choice you are telling people that you believe it’s okay for them to have the ability to choose abortion as an option for an unplanned pregnancy — even if you wouldn’t choose abortion for yourself.

“People who oppose abortion often call themselves pro-life. However, the only life many of them are concerned with is the life of the fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus.”

Those who are pro-life “are much less concerned about the life of women who have unintended pregnancies or the welfare of children after they are born”, Planned Parenthood says.

“In fact, many people who call themselves ‘pro-life’ support capital punishment (AKA the death penalty) and oppose child welfare legislation,” the non-profit organisation adds.

A representative for the BBC has been contacted.