1,500 doctors protest BMA motion to decriminalise abortion

Nearly 1,500 doctors have signed an open letter protesting today's motion in favour of allowing abortions up to birth for any reason.

Around 500 doctors will vote on the motion in favour of decriminalising abortion in Bournemouth on Tuesday 27 June, as part of the British Medical Association's annual conference.

If they vote in favour, the BMA will adopt it as formal policy. It will also lobby the government to change the law.

Over 1,400 doctors have signed 'Reject Motion 50' in protest, warning that this would "severely damage" the BMA's reputation.

Pro-life campaign group Abort67 will stand outside the BMA event on 27 June, showing the reality of abortion with graphic images.
 

Pressure from abortion campaigners

The BMA's motion follows pressure from by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) and other pro-abortion groups, which have been campaigning to remove all legal protections against abortion since 2016.

Last year, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), signed up to BPAS's 'We Trust Women' campaign, without consulting its 36,000 members. Around 750 midwives signed a petition in protest.

Earlier this year, a bill to decriminalise abortion passed its first reading in the House of Commons, but failed to progress further due to the ending of the parliamentary year.
 

Imposing an extreme agenda

The letter to the BMA's council reads:

"This motion is being promoted by a small group of campaigners with extreme views on abortion.

"Whilst they are entitled to hold the convictions they do, we must not let them impose their agenda on the BMA and risk severely damaging our reputation."

Decriminalising abortion could lead to abortion on demand, with no protections against later-term or 'gender-abortions'.
 

'Involuntary euthanasia'

Baroness Hollins, former BMA president, said:"Aborting a baby after 24 weeks, the age of medically agreed viability, is an extreme move towards involuntary euthanasia."
 

Majority of public want tighter abortion restrictions

The motion also stands in sharp contrast with public opinion.

In May 2017, a ComRes poll British adults showed that only 1% of women wanted the 24-week abortion limit extended up to birth.

The majority of women polled actually favoured tighter restrictions on abortion, with 70% wanting the upper abortion limit lowered.

91% favoured an explicit ban on 'gender-abortion'. 

Related Links:
Over 1,000 doctors reject BMA abortion decriminalisation motion 50 – this is why (Christian Medical Comment)
Doctors debate the complete decriminalisation of abortion at BMA ARM (Christian Medical Comment)
More than one thousands doctors revolt over bid to allow abortions right up until birth (Mail)
If doctors vote today to scrap abortion limits they'll betray everything our profession stands for (Mail)