Ipswich MP Ben Gummer, has come under pressure from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) to review his stance on abortion, following his appointment as junior health minister.
Ben Gummer, who has been appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health, has previously spoken out about his opposition to abortion. “I am personally and principally opposed to abortion,” Mr Gummer told the Guardian in an interview in 2008.
Ms Clare Murphy who is director of external affairs at BPAS criticised the junior health minister’s stance, telling the Independent “It is concerning that ministers with roles that involve women’s health and equality apparently oppose abortion - their stance does not reflect the view of their electorate.”
Ms Murphy suggested that rather than seeking new ways to curb women’s “already restricted reproductive freedoms”, Mr Gummer and his colleagues should be moving to fully decriminalise abortion in the UK, “If we must have a new British Bill of Rights, it would be very welcome if pregnant women were handed a few.”
Despite pressure from BPAS, Mr Gummer has rejected calls to reassess his stance on abortion saying “This was a personal view expressed seven years ago
"Change to abortion law has always been a matter for Parliament, not for the Government.
"It is accepted Parliamentary practice that proposals for changes in the law on abortion come from backbench members, not ministers, and that decisions are made on the basis of free votes, as with all matters of conscience.”
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Related Coverage:
New health minister opposed to abortion urged to reconsider stance 'that does not reflect the view of the electorate' (Independent)