BRITAIN MOVES TO DECRIMINALIZE ABORTION FOR WOMEN IN MAJOR LEGISLATIVE SHIFT

In a historic move, British lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to decriminalize abortion for women in England and Wales, signaling a dramatic departure from Victorian-era laws and pushing back against global trends that have seen reproductive rights curtailed, especially in the United States.
Currently, abortions past 24 weeks are criminalized unless in exceptional cases. But under the amended policing and crime bill now advancing through Parliament, women who end pregnancies under difficult circumstances—such as abuse, trafficking, or medical complications—would no longer face prosecution.
The vote comes amid heightened activism and growing concern about the influence of anti-abortion movements emboldened by the US Supreme Court’s 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade. Louise McCudden of MSI Reproductive Choices said anti-choice groups have become more aggressive, mirroring American counterparts.
While most Britons support abortion rights—with recent polls showing 88% approval—opposition persists. The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children warned that the law could allow “abortions up to birth” without criminal consequences.
The debate now shifts to the House of Lords, as Britain’s position on reproductive rights enters a new chapter against a global backdrop of rollback and resistance.