Doctors rebel over abortion ‘extremists’
FURIOUS doctors have hit out at ‘extreme’ pro-abortion campaigners who they fear will force their trade union to back a controversial move to scrap the 24-week time limit on terminations.
More than 1,000 doctors and medical students have warned the British Medical Association that the reputation of the profession will be ‘severely damaged’ if a motion calling for the decriminalisation of abortion is passed at its annual conference in Bournemouth this week.
The motion, which has been tabled by London doctors, says that all legal sanctions controlling abortion should be scrapped ‘up to viability’ – normally understood to mean up to 24 weeks. But opponents fear this will open the door to the legalisation of abortion up to birth, and if it becomes BMA policy, MPs and campaigners will redouble their efforts to force through reforms in Parliament.
In a strongly worded letter to senior BMA officials, seen by The Mail on Sunday, the medics say: ‘This motion is being promoted by a small group of campaigners with extreme views on abortion.
‘Whilst they are entitled to hold the convictions they do, we must not let them impose their agenda on the BMA and risk severely damaging our reputation as a professional body. It would be unacceptable for the organisation that represents us to support the radical position (supported by only a small minority of women) that all legal protection for babies should be removed, possibly right through to birth.’
One of the signatories, John Campbell, professor of general practice and primary care at Exeter University, said pro-life doctors ‘felt it was very difficult to speak up’. But he added: ‘These are massive issues that need to be thoughtfully addressed.
‘It would be outrageous if this was passed and would lead to many doctors reviewing their position in respect to membership of the BMA. I would do that and I have been a member for 35 years.’
Conservative MP Fiona Bruce said: ‘Instead of listening to lobby groups, the BMA should be listening to British women, 70 per cent of whom want the abortion time limit to be lowered from the current 24 weeks limit – one of the highest in the Western world.’ The BMA said it recognised abortion was ‘a sensitive and complex issue and one on which doctors have a range of views’. It also pointed out that there were motions both for and against decriminalisation, allowing ‘all viewpoints’ to be debated.
The Royal College of Midwives faced a huge backlash last year when this newspaper revealed its chief executive Cathy Warwick had changed the organisation’s policy to support decriminalisation without consulting members.