The push to decriminalise abortion in Britain heats up
But campaigners should be careful what they wish for
For more than half a century abortion has been a largely uncontroversial issue in Britain. In 1967 the Abortion Act was passed to allow women to end their pregnancies up until 28 weeks with the approval of two doctors; this limit was later lowered to 24 weeks. To satisfy those Britons—mostly conservative Christians—who believe abortion is murder, lawmakers chose not to repeal parts of a law from 1861 that criminalised it.
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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “If you pull on a thread ”
Britain April 20th 2024
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From the April 20th 2024 edition
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And what that says about Britain’s place in the world
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