Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP

Member of Parliament for Streatham (and parts of Balham, Clapham Common, Tulse Hill and Brixton Hill)
Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Clapham & Brixton Hill

Abortion Rights: Decriminalise Abortion

Oct 18, 2023 | Parliamentary Work

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Bell at a meeting in Parliament about decriminalizing abortion.

I was pleased to host Abortion Rights for a public meeting in Parliament to discuss their campaign to fully decriminalise abortion, which remains the only medical procedure in the UK under the criminal code. Just this year, a mother-of-three was jailed for 28 months after terminating her pregnancy. While this sentence was rightly overturned, it is a reminder that women can still be prosecuted. We have also recently heard that the police are testing women for abortion drugs and requesting data from menstrual tracking apps after unexplained pregnancy losses. It is completely wrong that women are being investigated, prosecuted and imprisoned under Victorian-era legislation for ending their pregnancies. I will continue to support efforts to for legal reform to recognise abortion as a healthcare issue, as well as pursuing reforms to prevent women facing barriers to accessing reproductive healthcare.