ON 7 FEBRUARY 1975, MP Poltok Glasgow, James White, presented his Abortion (Amendment) Bill for a second reading. It passed on a free' vote.
Every MP had received a copy of a now discredited book Babies for Burning which purported to uncover all sorts of abuses. The Bill was presented as necessary to 'protect women'.
Despite the fact that the Bill was only available seven days prior to the vote, women's organisations managed to mount a rally on the day: over I00 people turned up. lhat meeting agreed on a campaign to fight the Bill. On 13 March, 800 people met at the House of Commons to launch the National Abortion Campaign.
That same month, the Women's TUC passed a resolution condemning the White Bill and the National Union of Students affiliated to NAC.
when NAC held its cemonstralion, 20,000 against the Bill, with a further 500 on a march in Scotland, and a petition of 150,000 signatures was presented to parliament.
NAC's first conference, held in attracted 1000 people and establisnea lal simply fighting attacks on the 1967 Abortion Act did not go far enough. It was clear that the Act was inadequate. The aim of the campaign became 'Free Abortion on Demand'. The Labour Party conterence month opposed moves to restrict abortion.
Although it started as an umbrella group defending the '67 Act, NAC went well beyond that. A new group was set up, with NAC's support, the Coordinating Committee in Defence of the '67 Abortion Act (Co-ord) with an initial 20 pro-choice groups involvThere are now over 70. In April, 1976, NAC held its second national with 10,000 ching. In December the Labour Abortion Rights Campaign was set up to campaign within the Labour Party.
Restrictions The third report of the select committee on the White Bill was presented in the summer of 1975. In October health minister Barbara Castle accented its recommenaaons. I ney In cluded: approving referral agencies, registers of foreign women using private clinics. and restrictions where abortions after 20 weeks could be done. The White Bill itself fell at the end of October 1975, but in December 1976, William Benyon, a Tory MP, announced another restrictive private member's bill, based on By first 102NAC tober a draft 'right to choose' bill was drawn up.
In December 1980 the Appea Court ruled that it was illegal for nurses to take part in abortions performed by the prostaglandin method Timothy Sainsbury MP announced that he was thinking of introducing yet another restrictive bill. He was so overwhelmed with protests (not to mention threats of picketing his family stores) that he dropped the idea we all breathed again However, 1981 did see a new battle — and one that was much harde to fight, because the attack was more autumn 0I 198l Minister of Health Gerard Vaughan had announced changes in the 'buff notification form filled in by the 'operating doctor'. Doctors had to give medical reasons for the operation. Objections were made by MPs, doc. tors and ourselves to the new form.
Eventually Dr Peter Huntingford was considered for public prosecution. The charges were dropped after a national campaign In June 1981 Jo Richardson tabled a 10 minute Bill, calling for facilities to be available for all women needing them on the NHS. It got a lot of publicity and a fairly good volc However, the anti-abortionists ensured that most reports in the loca papers were hostile to the Bill Over the next period, NAC io some extent turned inwards. Without any obvious battles to fight, internal stresses led to disputes about the direction of the campaign: should it take up wider issues than abortion. how much emphasis should there be on our work in the unions, and should NAC become women only?
These stresses led to a split, in Ox.
1983. what happened after the split, it was clear that groups of women on both sides were able to get on doing what they wanted pro ductively After an initial drop in membership NAC is growing again.
That is not to say that there are no problems. There is a continuing debate around racism — the problem of making the campaign relevant and accessible for black women. And, a NAC gets no grants, money continues to restrict what the campaign can do. as NAC gets no grants, money continues to restrict what the campaign can do.
Gillick A major issue for us is how to go on the offensive. The reaction to the Victoria Gillick case illustrates ye again the sad truth that people are much more enthused by opposition man posiuve campalguilig.
the select committee report.
January 1977 saw the setting up of 'Doctors for a Woman's Choice on Abortion' and a Tribunal on Abortion Rights organised by NAC and attended by over 2000 women. The secona reading or Benvon's Bill 1 February was marked by demonstration in London followed by a national demonstration in May of over 10,000.
month, international women's conference in Paris called for an International Day of Action on hertilty Control. It was attended by 6000 women from all over NAC conference decided to focus on abortion facilities and oppose NHS cuts.
In May, the case of Joan Paton hit the headlines. Mrs Paton wanted an Her husband, walked out on her, did not want 'his baby' aborted, and tried to get an injunction to stop ner down in Fleet Street to protest. In drawn first place had county.
Women In May John Corrie, who had private members' ballot, announced that the would be taking up abortion. The second reading of his Bill was in July. Campaign NAC set up a Campaign Against Corrie (CAC) with branches all over the over LOU. ment, which gave heart to the pro-choice MPs and others a very hard time, was a major factor.
In the last week of the Bill, the Against Corrie, together with the South East Region of the TUC, organised a rally and a lobby of MPs. Central Hall, Westminster, filled up; so did an overtlow meeting ir the second largest hall. Still the queue Throughout our 10 years, we have faced attacks from anti-abortionists Attacks on abortion clinics America are now in the news, but pa tient harassment exists in this country The anti-abortionists have the money advertising campaigns notoriously the million babies have been killed since the '67 Act' and 'if women had glass tummies' campaigns. They are much more efficient lobbyists than us.
Another factor throughout the 10 years has been the importance to NAC of the interna tional campaign. In particular, NAC