The Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled out of order 13 proposed amendments, while permitting 14, of which a number cover the same ground.

RULED OUT OF ORDER

–          Prohibition Of Abortion After 20 Weeks;

–          Insistence On Abortions Being Done In A “Medical Facility”;

–          Insistence on a second medical opinion;

–          Prohibit abortions “to prevent the birth of a deformed or mentally handicapped fetus;

–          Adding a conscience clause for doctors and nurses to opt out of committing abortions;

PERMITTED

Amendments requesting to:

a)                  increase the time of imprisonment for breaking the law from two to twenty years;

b)                  limit the legal performance of abortion to medical practitioners;

c)                  delete “health” as a legal criterion for abortion;

d)                 delete the “definition” of health;

e)                  circumscribe health by deleting “psychological”’

AND FROM THE PRO-ABORTIONIST SIDE:

f)                   repeal Sections 287 and 288 entirely;

What do these amendments signify for pro-lifers?  With one exception, ©, nothing at all.

Twenty years’ experience has shown that abortionists pay no attention to definitions of health; they do them for any reason whatsoever.  Consequently, only the elimination of the term “health”, as requested by Don Boudria – see © – would restrict abortions (to “life” threatening situations) and would have any effect at all.

This is the only amendment which is worthy of support from Pro-life MPs.