NAC drops key struggle for free abortion on demand

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John Corrie's attempt to amend the 1967 Abortion Act is just the latest in a long line of reactionary attempts to restrict the availability of abortion.

However, the majority it received on the Second Reading, and the priority it has been given for parliamentary time indicate that the threat is greater now than on previous occasions.

Only a vigorous campaign in the Labour Party and the trade unions, as well as a huge turnout on the demonstration on October 28, will be able to defeat the Bill.

The political leadership of that campaign will be vital, and in this context it is worth examining the positions that the National Abortion Campaign has developed over recent weeks.

"Broad based'

NAC's primary concern is to build a 'broad-based' campaign to defeat the Corrie Bill.

To this end with the full support of the International Marxist Group and the Socialist Workers Party they have decided to drop the slogan 'free abortion on demand' in favour of what they see as the more 'popular' slogan the 1967 Act' The 1967 Act, of course, is in reality a restrictive law, which gives doctors complete control over abortion decisions.

Some doctors have interpreted it liberally and have authorised abortions to any woman who wants one, but others have blocked women's right to abortion. It remains up to the doctor.

Eroded

And now health service cuts have eroded the availability of abortion even in "liberal' districts.

IMG spokesman Penny Duggan defends NAC'S Lobbyist's eye view of Tom Jackson support for this restrictive law in Socialist Challenge by pointing out that NAC:

"was merely following the excellent example of the ANL which stated its opposition to Immigration Laws, but did not make that a condition for participating in its demos or joining a local ANL."

In other words, the IMG, true to its usual form, is defending in effect the complete abandonment of programme-in this case abandoning a basic democratic demand-for fear that it might put people off!

In line with the concern to build the broadest possible movement, NAC supporters attacked the WSL members and supporters present at the recent lobby of the TUC General Council for allegedly "antagonising" the trade union bureaucrats.

Sympathetic

NAC wanted a sympathetic lobby-believing that they could win the support of these bureaucrats to their 'broad-based' movement.

Besides pulling back from a fight against the trade union bureaucracy, who remain the greates block to an effective labour movement campaign on abortion rights, NAC has also abandoned any NAC's sympathetic lobby Party for a 3-line whip to make Labour MPs obey Labour Party policy and vote against the Corrie Bill.

NAC's argument is that the Tories outnumber Labour in parliament anyway, and if Labour put on a 3-line whip the Tories would do the same, and it would be ineffective.

Trapped in the " confines of single-issue politics, NAC fails to see the political importance of calling so-called representatives of the labour movement to account for their actions.

All-party Inste NAC relies on individu pressure on MPs of all parties-letter-writing, visits to surgeries and so on.

Such classless forms of protest (applied to Tory, Liberal and Labour MPs alike) will never mobilise the, labour movement against the Corrie Bill.

Expose

They will never expose for what it is the hot air that labour leaders spout on the question of women's rights.

They are simply a diversion from the fight in trade union and Labour Party branches for the demands and policies that advance the fight for women's rights.

If NAC continues to emulate the Anti Nazi League and refuses to give a lead in the campaign against the Corrie Bill by failing to confront the trade union bureaucracy and the Labour MPs, then the Corrie Bill is as good as law.

Friends

Instead of dropping the demand for 'free abortion on demand' they should be asking their friends. • at Congress House what they have done to fight for this demand.

As a start they could ask Clive Jenkins why Harold Wilson, who voted for the Corrie Bill, is still sponsored by ASTMS.

d's sati ...nns in!

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