MPs have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion declaring that sex-selection abortion is illegal.
They voted 181 to 1 for a motion brought forward by a cross-party alliance of MPs in an effort to end uncertainty over whether doctors can be prosecuted for the practice. It will now have a second reading in January.
Confusion over the law was exposed last year by the decision of the then Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Keir Starmer, not to bring charges against two doctors caught on camera agreeing to arrange abortions of baby girls purely because of their sex, in a Telegraph investigation.
The case was investigated by Scotland Yard and passed on to the Crown Prosecution Service which said that although there was enough evidence, it was not in the “public interest” to bring charges.
Great idea; now how exactly are they going to enforce it?
#1 – absolutely correct.
And to borrow a phrase fondly used by the liberals …
“Why are they trying to impose their will on women ?”
It’s not clear to me from this report if it will become law. Our UK parliamentary system requires three readings for bills to become statute law (plus of course the sovereign’s signature, but that is a foregone conclusion). Sometimes the government of the day allows a first vote then does not find the time for subsequent readings.