Headlines
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is due to have its long-awaited Second Reading in the House of Commons on Monday, 12th May and will be followed on Monday, 19th and Tuesday, 20th May by a ‘Committee of the Whole House’. This is when the issues on which the Government has allowed a free vote will be debated and voted on. This means this is an URGENT time both for prayer and for contacting your MP on the key issues of:
Animal-human hybrids—which should be banned as both unethical and unnecessary
Fatherless families—children need both a father and a mother
Saviour siblings—creating children as commodities
Abortion—no liberalisation and reasonable restriction.
Please link to the information pack: http://www.ccfon.org/docs/HFE_Bill_Preliminary_Pack_FINAL.pdf.
The importance of contacting your MP with your views cannot be over estimated.
Prayer Vigil—Monday 12th May, 2 pm
In order to mark this Second Reading of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill in the House of Commons on Monday 12th May we will be holding a prayer vigil together with other groups.
We are expecting a counter demonstration from supporters of the Bill so it would be good to have as many people present as possible.
PLEASE COME to our prayer vigil outside Parliament, invite members of your church, Christian groups, family and friends. We will gather at 2pm on 12th May in Old Palace Yard, opposite St Stephen’s Entrance to the House of Lords, Westminster.
At Second Reading, MPs vote on the ‘principle’ of the whole Bill. This is usually a formality and then the Bill goes through to its Committee Stages, Report and Third Reading where MPs can vote on specific amendments.
With faith and humility we must come together to pray for a great miracle. Monday, 12th May is the day after Pentecost and exactly 2 years since the miraculous defeat at Second Reading of the Joffe Bill which would have legalised euthanasia in this country. We would like Christians everywhere to come in their hundreds and stand outside Parliament and pray for this miracle; pray that MPs will vote against the principle of the Bill. If such a vote is won then the Bill will be defeated right from the outset.
It is vital that MPs continue to be lobbied at this time. We must continue our campaign, contacting our MPs to secure their vote against the Bill at Second Reading and beyond if necessary.
A key point to make at this time, is that there appears to be insufficient Parliamentary time to debate properly the huge issues at stake. Make it clear that their vote on this matter will affect how we will vote at the next General Election.
Please read our information pack on the issues in this Bill: http://www.ccfon.org/docs/HFE_Bill_Preliminary_Pack_FINAL.pdf.
A miracle is needed to stop this Bill. We believe in the God of miracles—please pray that the Lord will intervene, delivering us from this Bill.
Join
the National Lobby of Parliament,
14th
May 2008, 12.30 pm onwards
This is a vital opportunity to tell
your MP how strongly you feel about the introduction of the Bill.
Please arrange to meet your MP in Parliament anytime from 12.30 pm
onwards. Passion for Life will supply briefings to help inform your
discussion. (NB Even if your MP cannot meet that day, it is vital
that you still come to London to leave cards/letters and to show your
support).
Refreshments, literature and an opportunity to meet
pro-life MPs will all be at the Emmanuel Centre, Marsham Street (5
minutes’ walk from Parliament) from 12.30 pm until the
evening.
Please don’t miss this opportunity to have your
say on this vital issue. Now is the time to arrange transport, book
appointments with MPs and encourage friends and colleagues to join
you in travelling to London.
For further information call
(020) 3176 0032, or
info@passionforlife.org.
Alive and Kicking has sent all MPs a letter, letting them know that any votes on abortion will be monitored by Alive and Kicking and published for the public to access. This information will have an impact on public voting at the next general election—especially for those MPs with marginal seats.
You can check your MP’s majority on the Alive and Kicking MPs’ database on their website. Simply click on the MPs’ database, enter your postcode, or select your MP—their majority is listed under ‘Details of MP’. The number of their majority may well be lower than the number of Christians in your constituency. Getting in contact with other churches in your area and lobbying your MP together would be a very effective way of putting pressure on your MP.
Please also continue to send your petitions to Alive and Kicking; these will be presented to 10 Downing Street in the coming weeks.
Links
Alive and Kicking Press Release on MPs’ votes on Abortion:
http://www.aliveandkickingcampaign.org/press_releases/?id=20
MPs’ Database:
http://www.aliveandkickingcampaign.org/mp/searchmp.php
Sign the Petition:
Download the Petition:
http://www.aliveandkickingcampaign.org/public/pdf/petition.pdf.
‘20 Weeks Campaign’ to Lower the Abortion Limit Launched by Nadine Dorries
On Tuesday, 6th May, Nadine Dorries MP launched the official parliamentary campaign to reduce the upper limit for abortion. Nadine’s official website for her campaign is:
Nadine highlights some of the 20 reasons for the limit to be reduced to 20 weeks:
Public, parliamentary and medical opinion is changing on late abortion. 63 per cent of MPs, two thirds of GPs, nearly two thirds of the public and more than three-quarters of women support a reduction in the 24-week upper age limit.
High profile cases of babies surviving well below 24 weeks like Manchester’s Millie McDonagh, born at 22 weeks, and the world’s most premature baby, Amillia Taylor, who was born a week younger, both in October 2006.
High resolution 3D ultrasound images, pioneered by Professor Stuart Campbell, have shown babies in amazing detail ‘walking’, yawning, stretching and sucking their thumbs in the womb.
A video on our CCFONtv website shows the launch event, outside Parliament on 6th May:
http://www.ccfon.org/mediacentre.php?avid=73&avap=1.
The aim of the 20 weeks campaign is to reduce the upper time limit on abortion from 24 weeks to 20 weeks. We are praying for a greater reduction in the upper time limits, and other MPs will be tabling amendments seeking this. Nadine’s campaign has attracted huge publicity and public support and is a significant step in the right direction. If it is successful it will save 2,500 babies a year.
Register your support:
http://www.the20weekscampaign.org/register/
Send an e-postcard to your MP:
http://www.the20weekscampaign.org/epostcard/
Order postcards for your friends, neighbours and church to send to their MPs:
http://www.the20weekscampaign.org/order/.
Media Coverage on Reducing the Abortion Time Limit
Daily Mail, 6th May 2008: How could anyone look at this photo and deny it's time to cut the abortion limit?
Daily Mail, 6th May 2008: New abortion campaign to cut limit to 20 weeks: Fight to save 2,500 babies every year http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=564225&in_page_id=1770
Daily Mail, 6th May 2008: Human rights and the unborn child http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/newscomment.html?in_article_id=564224&in_page_id=1787.
TV and Radio Coverage (Scroll down to see the playlist to pick a clip to view or watch)
Abortion: http://www.ccfon.org/mediacentre.php?avpl=2.