Danny Kruger continued by saying that British lawmakers shouldn’t “teach” the US about the democratic process, as this has provoked widespread demonstrations across the country.
A number of MPs voiced their concerns with the decision made last week to eliminate the long-standing constitutional protections for abortion.
The decision to reverse the important Roe v. Wade judgment is anticipated to result in abortion restrictions in around half of the US states.
Mr. Kruger, who represents the Wiltshire district of Devizes, said this afternoon in the Commons that he would “probably disagree” with other MPs on the ruling by the US Supreme Court.
They believe that women have an unalienable right to bodily autonomy in this situation, but in my opinion, the right to an abortion is constrained by the involvement of another body.
I would offer to members who are trying to talk me down that this is a proper topic for political debate, and my point to the frontbench is that I don’t understand why we are lecturing the United States on a judgment to return the power of decision over this political question to the states, to democratic decision-makers, rather than leaving it in the hands of the courts, Mr. Kruger said as MPs attempted to speak over him.
The House was also informed that the judgment will allow far-right American organizations working to undermine UK abortion regulations “renewed energy.”
Can the minister clarify that the Government would continue to support and fund reproductive healthcare programs, including access to terminations worldwide, in light of this decision? demanded former Labour minister and current Foreign Office minister Dame Diana Johnson.
“This decision will give far-right American organisations additional motivation for their activities, as they are already planning to bring back the 1967 Abortion Act in this nation.”
Will the Government reconsider implementing buffer zones to safeguard women visiting abortion clinics, as suggested by (Rupa Huq, Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton)?
“And finally, would the Government reaffirm its commitment to women’s rights to access reproductive healthcare, including abortion? If the Government intends to amend the UK’s human rights laws, will it fully defend women’s rights to bodily autonomy?”
In response, Ms. Milling stated: “As the Prime Minister felt – and I share the view – that this is a major step backwards.
The UK is proud to defend and promote universal and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights, which are essential to releasing the potential agency and freedom of women and girls.
This is in relation to our position on sexual and reproductive health and rights, including safe abortion.
We will keep pushing for the UN and other international fora to use bold, encouraging language.
The Foreign Office was under pressure from Dame Diana to lobby the US government on behalf of women’s access to reproductive healthcare through an urgent question.
As for lecturing the United States about this, former Conservative minister Jackie Doyle-Price said in the Commons: “Can I just say to the minister that we are in no stronger position to do the same thing ourselves.”
Rather than being defined by these insane moral extremes, is it not time we led by example and revisited our abortion laws, which are now more than 50 years old, and based them around a safe framework for terminating pregnancy in the interests of women?
A vote on any future changes to the law governing abortion would be a “matter of conscience,” Ms. Milling retorted, but she added: “Our policy is to ensure that women can access health services in a way that is safe and secure and it remains a priority; that is a key priority and we will work closely with abortion providers and other stakeholders on the provision of these services.”
Dame Maria Miller also urged the government to “bring the US government to account at the UN” and to state that any such change would be seen as a violation of the UK government’s unalienable international commitments.
David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary for Labour, stated: “What is happening in America, and it is happening in our own nation, is an organized, worldwide political movement that is aiming to remove the liberties that have been hard-won in the 20th century.”