Morys Ireland's diary

Few topics produce such heated debate as the debate around abortion. Whatever your religious or political beliefs the rapidly increasing number of abortions taking place in the U.K. each year is a worrying trend that raises questions about our society. Nearly 200,000 abortions take place every year in this country and the U.K. has one of the most liberal abortion laws in Europe. 

The reality is that when an abortion takes place a life is terminated. That is something that can't be denied. So it has always struck me as odd that many people on the left of British politics are fervent supporters of abortion and a 'women's right to choose'. For me socialism is about sticking up for the vulnerable in society, the people that can't always make their voices heard, who could be more vulnerable than an unborn child? The thinking behind the 'women's right to choose' mentality doesn't seem to match traditional socialist values like equality of opportunity and the basic human right to life.

The problem lies in the fact that the debate has now become so heated that it has turned into a good old slogging match between the political left and the (mainly) religious right. Slogans are being bashed around without any particular thought being given for constructive debate. An example of the way this debate has turned sour is a recent proposal by a Catholic bishop that any Roman Catholic Member of Parliament who supports pro-abortion legislation should be excommunicated from the church. This kind of emotional blackmail is clearly unacceptable in a 21st Century representative democracy and proposals like this add nothing useful to the debate about abortion law.

Since the introduction of the Abortion Act in 1967 the lives of six million unborn children have been terminated in the U.K. Surely then this is a debate that politicians and indeed everyone need to take very seriously. We must take into account the recent advances in medical science that mean unborn children as young as 20 weeks who could legally be aborted old can survive after being born at 20 weeks and go on to live fulfilling lives. We must also take into account the rights of women and their health and well-being. But let's not jump to any conclusions or turn this very serious debate into a political left wing - right wing pantomime because in this case we really are talking about a matter of life and death.