As abortion rates in the UK reach unprecedented levels, fifteen pro-life Tory MPs have just lost their seats. Things are looking dire for unborn babies. However, hope remains as independent candidates rise up to speak for life.
Inside the womb is already the most dangerous place to be for human beings. Around the world, an estimated 73 million babies lose their lives to abortion every year. In the UK, we have aborted more than 10 million babies since the Abortion Act was passed in 1967, and in 2022 we surpassed a quarter of a million abortions across the UK… 267, 974 to be exact! That is a 17% rise over the previous year and the largest number ever recorded. To put that into perspective, over 700 babies per day lost their lives to abortion in 2022 alone.
There were already too few voices speaking up for these precious children in parliament, and sadly many of them have lost their ability to do so in the recent general election. Fifteen Tory MPs who have stood for the unborn or pro-lifers in one way or another over the years have lost their seats.
Fiona Bruce, a stalwart of the pro-life cause during her 14 years in parliament and vice-chair of the ‘All Parliamentary Pro-life Group’, has lost her seat. So too have well known pro-life voices Sir Liam Fox and Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg.
In May, Sir Liam tabled an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill to bring the abortion time limit for babies with Down’s Syndrome, in line with the time limit for babies who do not have disabilities, instead of up to birth.
Another amendment to the same bill was proposed by former Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell, which would have reduced the abortion time limit (for healthy babies) from 24 weeks to 22. Caroline will be a much-missed voice in opposition.
However, the sharks are circling the Criminal Justice Bill as well with labour MP’s Stella Creasy and Diana Johnson proposing amendments which would decriminalise abortion in the UK, potentially right up until birth.
We also mourn the loss of Miriam Cates as an MP, who has not only taken a courageous stand for the unborn but who has been a vocal defender of Christian principles across the board.
Andrew Lewer MBE is another casualty whose voting record has been consistently pro life, as has that of Derek Thomas.
It’s not just those who have stood firmly across all pro-life issues, even some of the less full-throttled support from the likes of Victoria Prentis and Maria Caulfield has now gone.
Speaking to The Independent, Heidi Stewart, CEO of The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), has said that this parliament could now be the most pro-abortion rights in history. She said:
“The last parliament saw unprecedented attacks on our abortion rights, no doubt emboldened by the global attack on abortion.
“The anti-abortion lobby was well-resourced, well-funded, and well-connected. And through several anti-abortion MPs, they were able to pose a significant threat to the provision of abortion in the last parliament.”
Ms Stewart has also expressed a wish that the incoming Labour government will “urgently progress the implementation of safe access zones, and decriminalise abortion for women in England and Wales.”
This does not make for comforting reading. The Criminal Justice Bill mentioned above, was due for a vote in June. However, the snap general election resulted in the vote being cancelled. It now looks likely that Diana Johnson and Stella Creasy may get their way with the proposed amendments to decriminalise abortion completely in the UK.
Yet there is some light in this otherwise dark tunnel and certainly much we can pray for. Ten pro-life MPs have retained their positions and this issue does not always split along party lines. Labour’s Mary Glindon, Carla Lockhart of the DUP and Liberal Democrat Tim Farron are among them.
The candidates who spoke up for babies
This election saw, for the first time, 22 independent candidates stand solely for unborn babies and their mothers. The Vote Life campaign saw pro-life leaflets delivered to more than one million homes. (Click image above to read more about the Vote Life campaign).
I give thanks for my brothers and sisters who are willing to take such a stand, and as we look to the future of the pro-life cause, let’s pray that many eyes will have been opened by this valiant political endeavour.
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A version of this article appears in HEART Christian newspaper: Aug/Sept 2024. Available from www.heartpublications.co.uk