Legal battle looms over pro-abortion pill freedom

The Scottish Government could face a legal challenge over its contentious decision to allow women to take abortion pills at home.

While pro-choice campaigners welcomed the move, the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) Scotland are fiercely opposed and are now consulting lawyers.

Chief executive John Deighan branded the decision “highly irresponsible” and claimed ministers may have “recklessly exceeded their powers”.

Scotland’s chief medical officer, Dr Catherine Calderwood, confirmed she had written to all health boards to say the drug misoprostol could be taken by women outside a clinical setting. Dr Calderwood said it was “significant progress” that women who were up to nine weeks pregnant could take the second dose at home.