our lives ¡our right to decide Our bodies 040. 480)
BRITAIN OUT OF THE GULF! DAVID ALTON's proposals radically restrict women's access to abortion wide ranging opposition. This includes even spokesperson of his own party and Liberal women organising to them.
Alton's key proposal is to cut the time 28 to 18 weeks. amendments to the Infant Life Preservation Act of 1929, as well as to the 1967 Abortion Act.
If passed his bill would hit hardest women in some of the weakest and most vil nerable positions. women who last year had abortions over 18 weeks many were very young women or were women carrying a handicapped fetus not detected pregnancy. Alton allows for no exceptions: despite overwhelming public support for the right of choice for women carrying a handicapped fetus, they would be refused an abortion.
week, have already provoked the health rights' who campaign against limits for abortion by ten weeks - from 16 weeks.
This would require the 5,600 necessary misery on that abortions over 24 weeks.
until later in the not prevent unwanted pregnancies abortions.
legal access.
In general Alton aims to pave the way to the unsafe backstreet abortions of the to to outlawing all abortion. As he said this days before the '67 Act, and the accom the "post-conception child's. overwhelming right to life must always take precedence over any other claimed deprived despair.
His 18 week limit is aimed at still fur- The ther restrictions: allowing for a margin of error, doctors would often refuse abortions to women well below this limit. An immediate attack is posed on the rights of these 16,000 women who, last year for instance, had abortions between 13 and Given Alton's extreme proposals, 'compromise' bids may well be proposed. We should be very clear: any lowering of time limits from 28 weeks will vote against the Bill make it more difficult for all women to obtain abortions, as well as inflicting unnumber of women who end up needing already Alton's proposals would certainly Last year nearly 25,000 should be women came to Britain for abortions from countries with very restricted or no under the Equally certain would be the return panying deaths and injuries to women, - as well the rise in unwanted births children, unhappiness support secured across the labour movement for the provisions of the '67 Act, including in the policy of the TUC and Labour Party, can stop Alton's attack and must be mobilised now.
Unfortunately Labour Party con. ference passed a contradictory resolution opposing Alton's Bill but accepting Labour MPs right to a free vote on the issue. Labour Party members must de mand a parliamentary whip is imposed to Coordinated by the National Abor tion Campaign (NAC) and other provery small choice organisations the fightback has begun. Alton's Bill, published in parliament on 27 Octobe must meet a flood of opposition. The picket of parliament called for that day supported by everyone who defends the safety for women possible David Alton should be sent to jou that long list of MPs in obscurity follow ing their defeated anti-abortion bills.
Socialist Action 9 Oct 1987 ACTiON SOCIALIST ACTION is in general a strong