Pro life campaigners have criticised the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that doctors who arranged illegal abortions based on the sex of the baby will not be prosecuted.
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children’s general secretary and senior political officer Paul Tully said: “If offering to kill a child, for payment, for such a callous reason as that she is the ‘wrong sex,’ is not against the public interest, then it is hard to think anything could be.”
Mr Tully continued: “However, prosecuting the doctors responsible is not the most important matter. Stopping the organisations that countenance this kind of practice, such as the abortion clinics and the Department of Health’s Sexual Health Team, is much more important. These are the bodies that Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, should seek to clamp down upon.
“Last year the government’s Chief Medical Officer wrote to all abortion clinics and NHS abortion hospitals spelling out the limited grounds for abortion in law. This appears to have made no difference at all to the widespread illicit practice of abortion on demand.
“MPs like Anna Soubry, the health minister, and Department of Health officials continue to prompt doctors to offer abortion on demand. Those responsible for the appalling tide of abortions in Britain have entirely ignored the Chief Medical Officer’s letter and continue to follow official guidance requiring doctors to provide abortion virtually on demand.
“The Abortion Act is morally wrong and medically ill-founded – and it demonstrates how legalising abortion for ‘hard cases’ is so easily abused. Sex-discrimination abortion is just one example. Since being appointed as health secretary, Jeremy Hunt has done nothing to enforce any of the grounds for abortion required in the law. His predecessor, Andrew Lansley, declared in the wake of the Daily Telegraph story last year, that it was his job as Health Secretary to enforce the law in this area, yet neither he nor Mr. Hunt have made any impact on abortion on demand. The non-prosecution of blatant abuses shows how difficult this will be.”
Andrea Minichiello Williams, CEO of Christian Legal Centre (CLC), commented: “By failing to follow through on its investigation the CPS is abdicating from its responsibility to make sure the law is kept.
“This is contrary to the law. Parliament makes the law and the CPS should enforce it.
“Its actions communicate that sex selection abortions are practically legal – something the vast majority of Britons would find reprehensible.
“We believe in the rule of law and that girls should not be terminated because boys are wanted.
“We shall be seeking counsel’s opinion and are considering a judicial review of this decision.”
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.