Europe and elsewhere.
In July, women occupied Westminster Cathedral in protest at Benyon's Bill, which fell the same day for lack of time. That year's Labour Party's conference called for legisiation to ensure women's right of choice in law. The TUC Aims for Women at Work was rewritten to include 'free abortion to be readily available'. A year later NAC held its first trade union conference, attended by 500 delegates Ther ollempt to retic, sae yet another attempt to restrict the Act, with a 10 minute bill from Bernard Braine. In April, the tenth anniversary of the '67 Act was marked with a week of action, while the third Liverpool more women went to court to support Joan. He failed.
Internationalism An International Campaign for Abortion Rights was formed following a meeting in London that June. NAC became the first co-ordinator and it was agreed to have an International Day of Action. It took place in March 1979, supported by 25 counIn england, the month the campaign became the International Contraception, Abortion Sterilisation Women Decide! (ICASC)
At the people, called by the TUC organisation demonstration on such an issue.
5000 camé on an amendment following Campaign tion led by previous year's TUC, a resolution had been passed pledging to organise against any further at- support the rally. tacks on abortion rights. October saw a massive demonstration of 50,000 - the first Arrests time in the world that a national trade had called MPs were under big pressure from itself, both sides. Jo Richardson introduced which would have allowed abortion on demand up to six weeks — it fell. The Corrie Bill fell, partly because of the heroic opposi- Over Richardson. The tremendous campaign outside parliaof those waiting to lobby stretched has Westminster Bridge! Various unions including the CPSA, had supported CAC's call for strike action to On the day of the Third Reading Friday, NAC assembly in the Central Hall, followed by a torchlight procession through Fleet Street. who demonstrated were arrested.
period, NAC organised day schools and debated such subjects as positive legislation — always believed that foreign women should have the right to come here for abortion as long as their own countries have laws against abortion and the question of Ireland - Nortt and South - is important to us. support the Northern Ireland Abortion Campaign's fight to extend the Act to the Six Counties These are the issues we will be taking up in the coming year, but it means more members more money. We would like our tenth anniversary to be the year we double our membership and make some real steps forward in our objectives — to ensure women have the right to choose whether or not to continue a
10 Socialist Action 22 February 1985