Analysis by Right To Life UK of the voting records of the 132 MPs who have decided not to stand again for election shows that 93 (70 per cent) take a predominantly pro-abortion stance on the issue of abortion. Only 23 (17 per cent) of those MPs standing down take a predominantly pro-life stance on the issue of abortion.
The organisation has launched a General Election campaign – the Vote For Both Lives campaign in the lead up to election day on 4 July. It wants voters to contact their local candidates and ask them to sign a pledge which outlines three policy changes that are designed to increase protection for babies in the womb and stop pregnancy discrimination for women.
Figures released by the Department of Health and Social Care in May show the highest number of abortions ever recorded in England and Wales, with 252,122 taking place in 2022, an increase of 37,253 (17 per cent) from 2021.
The ‘Both Lives Pledge’ asks candidates to commit to stop discrimination against baby girls by supporting a law change to clarify that sex-selective abortion is illegal; bring UK law closer to the laws in the majority of EU countries by voting to lower the gestational time limit for abortion and support women in the workplace by backing policies designed to stop pregnancy and maternity discrimination.
Right To Life UK says that to date 185 candidates from around the country have signed the Both Lives Pledge since it was launched last week.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said:
“This is the biggest response we have seen to any election campaign we have run ever. Since we launched the Vote For Both Lives campaign on Monday, tens of thousands of emails have been sent from constituents throughout the country asking them to sign the Both Lives Pledge.
“185 MP candidates have now signed the Both Lives Pledge making it clear that if elected they will be supporting important measures to increase protection for babies in the womb and end pregnancy discrimination for women. These are policies that will save lives by protecting and supporting both mother and child.
"In the next Parliament, the abortion lobby will likely be back in full force, pushing to introduce new extreme abortion legislation".
“It is fantastic to see such a strong response from the community and MP candidates as the UK faces what is one of the most important elections for life issues in a number of decades".