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12 / 05 / 2008 - DUP will support reduction in time limit for abortion
Democratic Unionist Party Health Spokesman Iris Robinson MP has said that her party will support an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill that would reduce the time limit for termination of pregnancy from 24 weeks to 20 weeks. The amendment has been tabled by Nadine Dorries, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Mid-Bedfordshire. Speaking today, Iris Robinson said:
“Last year in this country 200,000 abortion procedures were carried out. That is 600 young lives every day being ended by abortion. The United Kingdom has the most liberal abortion regime in Europe. An abortion can be obtained in the UK up to 24 weeks of pregnancy – that is twice the limit of France and Germany and six weeks longer than is allowed in Sweden and Norway. Last year 3,000 babies were aborted within the 20-24 week timeframe. It is clear that our liberalised abortion laws have created a situation that is totally out of control with abortion now being used as a form of contraception. This is totally unacceptable.
The proposal to reduce the limit from 24 to 20 weeks would be a positive first step towards reducing the availability of abortion and the ease with which so many young lives can be ended. In this modern era, it also makes sounds medical sense. When the Act was drafted in 1967, the thought of a child surviving at 24 weeks would have seemed like science-fiction. That is not the case now.
Recent technological advances mean that babies that are born prematurely stand a much higher chance of survival. In 2006, two children were born, one at 23 weeks, the other at 22 and both survived. Under existing legislation we face the very real prospect of a child at one end of a hospital fighting for its life and surviving at 23 weeks, but a child which is actually older than it being aborted at the other end of the hospital. That is a truly despicable situation and demonstrates just how out of control our abortion regime is.
The DUP is a pro-life party and we will support moves that are designed to protect the rights of the unborn.”
Source : DUP
“Last year in this country 200,000 abortion procedures were carried out. That is 600 young lives every day being ended by abortion. The United Kingdom has the most liberal abortion regime in Europe. An abortion can be obtained in the UK up to 24 weeks of pregnancy – that is twice the limit of France and Germany and six weeks longer than is allowed in Sweden and Norway. Last year 3,000 babies were aborted within the 20-24 week timeframe. It is clear that our liberalised abortion laws have created a situation that is totally out of control with abortion now being used as a form of contraception. This is totally unacceptable.
The proposal to reduce the limit from 24 to 20 weeks would be a positive first step towards reducing the availability of abortion and the ease with which so many young lives can be ended. In this modern era, it also makes sounds medical sense. When the Act was drafted in 1967, the thought of a child surviving at 24 weeks would have seemed like science-fiction. That is not the case now.
Recent technological advances mean that babies that are born prematurely stand a much higher chance of survival. In 2006, two children were born, one at 23 weeks, the other at 22 and both survived. Under existing legislation we face the very real prospect of a child at one end of a hospital fighting for its life and surviving at 23 weeks, but a child which is actually older than it being aborted at the other end of the hospital. That is a truly despicable situation and demonstrates just how out of control our abortion regime is.
The DUP is a pro-life party and we will support moves that are designed to protect the rights of the unborn.”
Source : DUP
Embryo Bill Debate Heated with "Wooly Liberal Thinking"
In a six hour debate in the House of Commons on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill at least one MP was ready to note that the country is suffering from "wooly liberal thinking."
The most eloquent and comprehensive defense of the principles behind the pro-life position came from Iris Robinson the DUP MP for Strangford, who told the House, “I make no apology for speaking as a born-again Christian. I represent the voice of those who look to a higher authority—one to whom we will all one day answer for the decisions that we make in the House.”
In a lengthy speech, Mrs. Robinson said that the entire debate had come at the question of the use and manipulation of embryos from a utilitarian anti-human viewpoint. “It attacks the very fabric of personhood and we must resist it vigorously... All life is of immense worth and we must treat it with the utmost respect. That is why my party will not support the Bill in its present state.”
She agreed with what others had said earlier, that to date, human embryonic stem cell research, while it has “absorbed a huge amount of taxpayers' money” has delivered no therapies, “whereas adult stem cell research, which involves no ethical hazards, has delivered around 80 therapies for patients, and some 350 clinical trials are currently under way”.
“Too often the House and this country have suffered from woolly liberal thinking,” she said. “Unless we stand firm on certain matters, the United Kingdom will become utterly morally bankrupt.
Source : LifeSiteNews.com
The most eloquent and comprehensive defense of the principles behind the pro-life position came from Iris Robinson the DUP MP for Strangford, who told the House, “I make no apology for speaking as a born-again Christian. I represent the voice of those who look to a higher authority—one to whom we will all one day answer for the decisions that we make in the House.”
In a lengthy speech, Mrs. Robinson said that the entire debate had come at the question of the use and manipulation of embryos from a utilitarian anti-human viewpoint. “It attacks the very fabric of personhood and we must resist it vigorously... All life is of immense worth and we must treat it with the utmost respect. That is why my party will not support the Bill in its present state.”
She agreed with what others had said earlier, that to date, human embryonic stem cell research, while it has “absorbed a huge amount of taxpayers' money” has delivered no therapies, “whereas adult stem cell research, which involves no ethical hazards, has delivered around 80 therapies for patients, and some 350 clinical trials are currently under way”.
“Too often the House and this country have suffered from woolly liberal thinking,” she said. “Unless we stand firm on certain matters, the United Kingdom will become utterly morally bankrupt.
Source : LifeSiteNews.com
DUP Member of Parliament for North Belfast Nigel Dodds has today outlined his opposition to the proposed introduction of abortion provision in-line with the mainland to Northern Ireland as an amendment to the controversial Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill due to be debated in the House of Commons this week. Mr. Dodds was speaking after a letter signed by the leaders of Northern Ireland’s four main political parties was delivered to Downing Street on the issue. Speaking today Nigel Dodds said,
“In a recent debate at Stormont about the draft abortion guidelines drawn up by the Department of Health, the members of the Northern Ireland Assembly expressed their clear and outright opposition to any moves to liberalise the abortion regime which operates in Northern Ireland. Just a few days ago, the leaders of each of the four main political parties here, who in the most recent election polled in excess of 85% of the votes cast also made clear their opposition to introducing freely available abortion here. The DUP has strongly warned the government that it would be wrong to use the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill as a means of achieving this through the back-door.
This proposal contained in the amendment tabled has no support whatsoever in Northern Ireland and it originates with one Liberal Democrat MP, Dr. Evan Harris whose very pro-abortion and pro-euthanasia views saw him labelled “Dr. Death” in a national newspaper. The Liberal Democrats do not have any support in Northern Ireland. They do not contest elections here and have no mandate for their anti-life amendment. It is frankly sickening that they feel they can impose an abortion regime that is manifestly unwanted by Northern Ireland people.
The DUP believes in the rights of the unborn child. We will resist any and all attempts to introduce a liberalised abortion regime here. We will be voting against this amendment as we will the plans contained in the substantive Bill. Looking to what forty years of abortion have produced on the mainland we can see just how false were the claims made by the pro-Abortion lobby that it would ease society’s social ills, and why we should all oppose the introduction of such a barbaric and cruel regime to the Province.”
Turning his attention to the substantive Bill, Mr. Dodds said:
"In recent years, the sanctity of human life has been called into question by fundamentally-flawed policies and initiatives pursued by this Government. We have, I believe entered new territory with the raft of proposals contained in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Under the thinly-veiled disguise of “medical research”, this diabolical piece of legislation proposes to create animal-human hybrids and extend the scope for embryonic research.
I have been encouraged by the rising tide of opposition to this Bill, both within Parliament and across the nation as a whole, and I would exhort people to make their views known to their MPs. I commend the stand being taken by organisations such as the Christian Medical Fellowship and the Christian Institute and I hope that we will be able to prevent this dangerous piece of legislation from making it on to the Statute Book."
“In a recent debate at Stormont about the draft abortion guidelines drawn up by the Department of Health, the members of the Northern Ireland Assembly expressed their clear and outright opposition to any moves to liberalise the abortion regime which operates in Northern Ireland. Just a few days ago, the leaders of each of the four main political parties here, who in the most recent election polled in excess of 85% of the votes cast also made clear their opposition to introducing freely available abortion here. The DUP has strongly warned the government that it would be wrong to use the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill as a means of achieving this through the back-door.
This proposal contained in the amendment tabled has no support whatsoever in Northern Ireland and it originates with one Liberal Democrat MP, Dr. Evan Harris whose very pro-abortion and pro-euthanasia views saw him labelled “Dr. Death” in a national newspaper. The Liberal Democrats do not have any support in Northern Ireland. They do not contest elections here and have no mandate for their anti-life amendment. It is frankly sickening that they feel they can impose an abortion regime that is manifestly unwanted by Northern Ireland people.
The DUP believes in the rights of the unborn child. We will resist any and all attempts to introduce a liberalised abortion regime here. We will be voting against this amendment as we will the plans contained in the substantive Bill. Looking to what forty years of abortion have produced on the mainland we can see just how false were the claims made by the pro-Abortion lobby that it would ease society’s social ills, and why we should all oppose the introduction of such a barbaric and cruel regime to the Province.”
Turning his attention to the substantive Bill, Mr. Dodds said:
"In recent years, the sanctity of human life has been called into question by fundamentally-flawed policies and initiatives pursued by this Government. We have, I believe entered new territory with the raft of proposals contained in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Under the thinly-veiled disguise of “medical research”, this diabolical piece of legislation proposes to create animal-human hybrids and extend the scope for embryonic research.
I have been encouraged by the rising tide of opposition to this Bill, both within Parliament and across the nation as a whole, and I would exhort people to make their views known to their MPs. I commend the stand being taken by organisations such as the Christian Medical Fellowship and the Christian Institute and I hope that we will be able to prevent this dangerous piece of legislation from making it on to the Statute Book."