Whose Choice Anyway

III Prayer and pressure (continued) Postscript On 6 May 1988 the Bill was effectively 'talked out' - our opponents recognising that they could not defeat it on a fair and free vote. But the Bill has proved two things: first, that there is a majority in the country and in Parliament for reform; and second, that although the present Government talks about 'values' and the sanctity of human life, in reality they are not prepared to lift a finger to assist the pro-life cause.

Since May 6th two fallacies have been reiterated ad nauseam by opponents of the Bill. The first is that if the upper time limit had been set at 24 weeks it would have had a consensus and would have been enacted. The second is that different tactics might have ensured a different result.

Pro-life MPs would have been prepared to see a vote at 24 weeks and, if earlier options were defeated, we would have accepted the verdict of the House. However, let us be clear that a limit set at the end of the 24th week, which would include several 'exceptions', would not save a single one of the 172,000 babies aborted last year.

Twenty-four weeks may have consensus support among pro-abortion MPs but they are well aware that the consensus in the House is for something lower than 24 weeks, which is why opponents such as Jo Richardson MP promised she would be against any reduction in the time limit.

The issue is clear. At 18 or 20 weeks the child has sentience. This leads to cases like that of the 21-week-old Carlisle baby, left to struggle for three hours. Twentyfour weeks would not have saved that child's life.

As for our tactics: since 1975 every pro-life Bill has achieved a majority at Second Reading and all 15 pro-life Bills have been thwarted by small groups of opponents using every trick in the book. However, public and political opinion has undoubtedly altered radically, and no pro-life Bill has got further than this one.

When the Prime Minister says that it is all a matter of tactics, it is surely incumbent upon her to explain to Enoch Powell, Bill Benyon and all the other sponsors of talked-out Bills precisely what tactics should have been deployed.