nodiately affecting 17,000 climate where all abortions were more difficult to obtain, would ensure a rise in illegal abortion and their accompanying injuries and deaths to women, and a rise in unwanted children and misery.
By now the main shape of the campaign is clear: Alton's 18 week campaign will continue, meanwhile a great lobby of support is be ing built for 24 weeks with arguments that this is with roelal Viadilly in any case it compromise lo defeat Alton.
In reality either of these changes would immediately affect thousands of women as well as transform the atmosphere around the right differences over 18 weeks or reality they are about what steps are possible now in the fight against all rights to abortions, not about foetal viability, caring for disabled children, ensuring early Alton has spelled this out: *Post-conception child has begun its developments as a unique individual overriding right to life must Take preccacnce before any other claimed right. Limits A cut in the time limits to 18 weeks would be a very big step towards preventing all abortions. In 1986 5.649 women had abortion over Weeks. Of these 2,694 this country in other WULUS women torced come to Britain and pay for private abortions because abortion (and often Coli traception) is either illegal or very restricted in their countres. Ivany of tese women are from Ireland and Spain. Such restrictions themselves lead to these women suffering the additional strain late abortions. NU FURCED tries. As with all other such bills, Alton's ignores the reasons which compel women such as these have late abortions: young women often do not the signs, that older women may mistake that the results of tests for severe disabilities known until after 20 weeks. and the many obstacles that confront all women from the lack of sex education through obstructive GPs to NHS waiting lists. Alton has made the rights of the disabled foetus his particular crusade arguing against abortion as 'eugenics' and ignoring that women demand that the choice be their individual right, not doctors. 2,723 women last year.
Many women waiting for results disability tests would still be affected, with difficult decisions under Bical picssuic used in favour of the 24 weeks limit however, foetal viability. Alton peddles a straightforward decepweeks a child has sentience and it is no different except in size and weight from the child at 28 weeks. By 20 weeks... its heart is pump; ing 50 pints of blood daily.' In truth and even with the advances of new technology the earliest premature birth where a baby was kept live has been 23 weeks Two separate issues are deliberately confused. First insuring cariy abortions vill not be helped by restric ting the upper time limits the reverse is true. To cut with changing estimates of foetal which Viablully, these are — over 75 per cent of births at 26 weeks and over die or are severely handicapped opens the possibility ot lowering the limits. Which is of course the aim.
Second, no woman would opt for a late abortion out of choice. Lowering their necessity is very much in our hands - improving education, NHS facilities, rights of seli reterral, removing the right of doctors to impose their moral views on women, and research into early detection of severe disabilities. fellow liberal Clement Freud has . commenied Alton had chosen private members to deal with any of these issues, we could take his concern for women and children more seriously.
Despite the chorus of Act, all of which have been defeated.
Labour Party and TU are The policy very clearly in support of the 1967 Act and a woman's right to choose. we car make sure that Alton is defeated and sent off into obscurity with Benyon, White and Corre it we us this policy to mobilise now against this savage attack.
Cut the time, you cut women's choice!
Fight the Alton Bill!
mo verter bodies can. * sponsor the new Fight the Alton Bill campaign, and help set up local groups * help it financially * invite speakers distribute its publicity * send a delegate io its national policy against Alton, that your MP votes against the bill and tha support is committed nov for future demonstrations and action against Alton.
Model resolution for Labour Parties 1 opposes David Alton's Private Member's Bill to weeks, and other proposals to reduce the present 2 sponsors the Fight Alton's Bill Campaign and will promote its initiatives including the lobby of parliament and proposed national demonstration ...);
agreed, by 5,305,000 votes to 611,000, to abandon 'the idea that there can be conscience clauses or bear children'(Composite 40). And further notes that this decision has not so far been implemented included the right of Labour MPs to a position of 4 therefore calls on the NEC to instruct the chief whip to apply a three line whip in line with part) policy for all votes against the Alton Bill and any other proposals to limit the present availability of