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Socialist Press1978 1978-02-22Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 4 →
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The Abortion Law Reform Association (ALRA) has been agitating for changes in the abortion law since 1937 and are still proposing that the 1967 Abortion Act should be superceded by a law which enshrines a woman's right to free abortion on demand.
The "Open Door" programme made by ALRA and shown on Monday 13 February on BBC 2, was a halt-hour long exposition of their bankrupt and reformist Jackson pointed to the real deficiencies of the 1967 Act: that doctors and not women have the right to choose whether woman is "entitled" not to have a child.
obligation There is no obligation put on the DHSS or the Area Health Authorities to provide abortion facilities.
However, the only solution ALRA puts forward is to pressure pro-abortion MPs to introduce a Private Members Bill which will change the law so that "positive legislation" is also being advocated by certain elements in the National Abortion Campaign at the moment.
It promises to divert the struggle for abortion rights further into the realms of parliamentary pressure politics and away from the fight against the NHS cuts, for expansion of abortion facilities and for workers and patients control of the health service.
The experience of the Sex Discrimination Act and the Equal Pay Act should be ample evidence that legislation cannot grant women their rights.
TL:the Lib-Lab government's policies of wage-cutting, creating unemployment and slashing the social services are attacking the working class and pushing women back into the home and family.
' Not only has there been a long string of restrictive Private Members Bills appearing parliament since 1967 (the James White and Benyon Rille are the most notorious). discussions with anti-abortionists about the possibilities of a government sponsored restrictive "compromise" Bill.
The latest in this string of anti-abortion Bills comes up in Parliament on Tuesday February.
It is proposed Bernard Braine, and follows the lead of the Benyon and White Bills in at tempting to from 28 to 20 weeks and 1 impose restrictions on tl charitable sector.
Restrictive Bills must 1 defeated through i • ma pressure, but abortion righ will not be conceded l Parliament as ALR proposes. They must fought for as part of tl campaign to stop and rever the cuts, and to defeat ti reactionary policies of tl
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SOCIALIST.PRESS, Wednesday 22 February, 1978 Rees vigorously denied