Headlines
Alive and Kicking Abortion Campaign and Petition Launched
The Alive and Kicking Alliance launched its campaign on abortion this morning with a fully updated website at:
www.aliveandkickingcampaign.org
Alive and Kicking brings together eleven organisations including Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship, Christian Medical Fellowship, ProLife Alliance, Maranatha, CARE, LIFE, and the Evangelical Alliance.
With The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill about to be debated in the House of Commons, the Alliance aims are:
A substantial lowering of the upper limit of 24 weeks for abortion
An end to discriminatory abortion up until birth for disabled babies
Fully informed consent for women contemplating abortion
The main features of the campaign are:
An online data base of MPs past voting record and current voting intentions on abortion:
A petition calling for reform of the abortion law aimed at gaining 100,000 signatures:
http://www.aliveandkickingcampaign.org/petition/
An online information pack for people to use in lobbying MPs: http://www.aliveandkickingcampaign.org/public/pdf/aaklobbypack.pdf
The campaign was mentioned in the Daily Mail today in an article covering several other issues raised by the Bill:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=528951&in_page_id=1770
Please do let people know about the campaign and in particular encourage them to:
Sign the petition and print off a downloaded version for people in churches to sign and post in http://www.aliveandkickingcampaign.org/public/pdf/petition.pdf
Let us know their MPs voting intentions
voting@aliveandkickingcampaign.org
Targeting MPs Views on Abortion and Action Pack
As mentioned above, by using the database you can select your MP (by entering your postcode) and find out where they stand on abortion. There are some MPs whose opinions on abortion we do not know. If your MP is one of them please write or visit their surgery asking them specifically where they stand on abortion, and let us know their response. Please forward MPs’ responses to voting@aliveandkickingcampaign.org or 020 7407 6157.
Note the majority MPs hold (how many votes they won their seat by in the last election), which you can find on the MPs’ database on the Alive and Kicking website. If they have a small majority work with the churches in your constituency to lobby your MP to represent your views on abortion in Parliament. If the number of Christians lobbying an MP is higher than the majority they hold, this may persuade them to represent your view in Parliament rather than lose their seat at the next election! You can lobby
your MP using the Alive and Kicking Action Pack.
Abortion Petition
As mentioned above, Alive and Kicking has a petition on its website urging Parliament to support amendments that will help to reduce the number of abortions and to oppose amendments that will liberalise the law. Please sign this petition online using the link below. You can also download this petition and print copies to take to your church and church groups to sign using the link below.
Links
Sign the Alive and Kicking abortion petition online
Download the Alive and Kicking abortion petition
Alive and Kicking Abortion Campaign Press Release
Press Release – 10th March 2008
Alive and Kicking launches online database of MPs views on abortion ahead of biggest abortion battle in 40 years.
Alive and Kicking, a powerful alliance of eleven organisations seeking to reduce the annual toll of 200,000 abortions a year in the UK, today launches a major campaign on abortion.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which is very soon to be debated in the House of Commons, provides the first opportunity in eighteen years for MPs to vote on amendments to the abortion law.
The new Alive and Kicking website (www.aliveandkickingcampaign.org) contains extensive data on MPs’ past voting records and future voting intentions on abortion, enabling supporters to know exactly where their Parliamentary representatives stand on the amendments that the Alliance will be promoting. Supporters will also be encouraged to gather signatures for an online Petition to be presented to the Prime Minister, with a target goal of at least 100,000 signatories.
‘The biggest battle since the abortion law was passed in 1967 lies ahead,’ said Julia Millington of Alive and Kicking. ‘With abortion rarely off the front pages of the national press, opinion amongst the public, politicians and medical profession has changed and people are now beginning to recognise the true extent of the abortion tragedy.
‘We are supporting amendments to three aspects of the abortion law, dealing with
Time limits
Disability discrimination
Informed consent
‘We will be seeking a substantial reduction of the 24-week upper limit for the abortion of healthy babies; an end to the discriminatory provision allowing abortion of disabled babies up to birth; and an informed consent law requiring doctors to provide comprehensive evidence-based information on the risks associated with abortion and the availability of positives alternatives for those needing help.
‘With 63% of MPs, (1) 68% of the public (2) and 65% of GPs (3) supporting a reduction in the 24-week abortion time limit we are confident that Parliament will vote in favour of a positive change to the abortion law.
‘Allowing abortion up to the moment of birth for babies with disability is totally at odds with other legislation on disability discrimination. We need to end this discrimination against unborn babies with special needs who would be given the very best medicine we have to offer if they were outside the womb.
‘The pro-abortion lobby, with their mantra, “a woman’s right to choose,” fail to acknowledge that many women who “choose” abortion do so only because they feel that they have no other choice. At the very least, we believe that women should be given real choice and equipped with all the information and support necessary to enable them to make a fully informed decision.’
Julia Millington
Alive and Kicking Campaign
Tel: 020 7584 7186
Alive and Kicking Alliance includes CARE, Christian Medical Fellowship, CORE, Evangelical Alliance, Guild of Catholic Doctors, Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship, LIFE, Maranatha, Prolife Alliance, Real Choice, Student Life Net.
(1) CommunicateResearch survey of 154 MPs, June 2005
(2) ComRes poll of 1001 GB adults, Sept 2007
(3) Marie Stopes International, General Practitioners: attitudes to abortion 2007