UK MPs Expected to Vote on Major Abortion Decriminalisation Amendment

UK MPs are set to vote on a significant change to abortion laws in England and Wales, aiming to decriminalise abortion and prevent women from being prosecuted for terminating their own pregnancies at any stage. The proposed amendments, supported by a cross-party group of 176 MPs, seek to remove the threat of investigation, arrest, prosecution, or imprisonment for women, while still allowing criminal charges against those who assist in illegal abortions beyond current legal limits. This move comes amid rising concern over cases where women were investigated or prosecuted for ending pregnancies, such as Nicola Packer, who was acquitted after taking abortion medication beyond the legal home-use limit, and Carla Foster, whose jail sentence was suspended on appeal. However, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has strongly opposed the amendments, describing them as "extreme" and warning they could have "devastating" impacts on women's health, arguing that extending abortion rights up to birth without current restrictions is unnecessary and dangerous. Pro-choice campaigners emphasize the need to update the outdated 19th-century Offences Against the Person Act to prevent women from being criminalised, while opponents warn that such changes would strip unborn babies of legal protection. The vote represents the most substantial reform of abortion law in over 50 years and is expected to be highly contentious within Parliament.