JOHN SMEATON, DIRECTOR OF SPUC: Amendment against sex-selective abortion defeated in Parliament

Wednesday, 25 February 2015

Amendment against sex-selective abortion defeated in Parliament

Fiona Bruce MP

British MPs voted yesterday to reject an amendment put forward by Fiona Bruce MP to clarify the law regarding sex-selective abortion. The Conservative MP said that her amendment would "clarify beyond doubt in statute that sex selective abortion is illegal in UK law". The amendment was defeated by 292 votes to 201. Opponents said that the amendment might "confer personhood on the foetus". [BBC, 24 February]

House of Lords passes of three-parent embryo regulations
The House of Lords has passed regulations to allow the creation of three-parent embryos. Peers rejected a motion against the regulations by 280 votes to 48. The regulations will now become law, making the UK the first country to allow the technique. [BBC, 24 February] Paul Tully, SPUC's general secretary, said: "Legislators have been consistently misled in the past about the prospects of success and the future intentions of those who want to use the tiniest humans - human embryos - for experiments." [SPUC, 24 February]

Finland legalises gender-neutral marriage
The President of Finland has signed legislation to legalise gender-neutral marriage. Sauli Niinistö confirmed the new law which will come into effect on March 1, 2017. The law has been described as historic because it is the first law to be brought to the Finnish parliament as a citizen’s initiative, signed by 167,000 Finnish voters. [Yie, 20 February]

Irish PM pledges support for same-sex ‘marriage’
Enda Kenny, Ireland's prime minister, has declared his support for same-sex 'marriage', despite previously being opposed to it. Mr Kenny made the declaration in a speech to Fine Gael supporters. A referendum on same-sex ‘marriage’ will be held in Ireland in May 2015. [Journal, 23 February]

Other issues:

Abortion:

Portuguese pro-life movement collects over 48,000 signatures backing pro-life legislation [Portugal News, 19 February]

Embryology

Human egg and sperm cells could be created using skins from two adults of the same sex [February 23, International Business Times]

Family issues:

Nigerian bishop says US withholds anti-terrorism aid due to Nigeria’s pro-family stance [LifeSiteNews.com, 19 February]
African cardinal says Catholic Church in Africa will oppose rebellion against traditional teachings [Voice of the Family, 23 February]

Pregnancy:
Baby is born in an intact amniotic sack [Essential Baby, 18 February]

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About Me

I became involved in SPUC after graduating, when I established a branch in south London in 1974. I have worked full-time for SPUC for 42 years. I became chief executive of SPUC in the UK in 1996, having been general secretary since 1978. I was elected vice-president of International Right to Life Federation in 2005. At UN conferences in Cairo, Copenhagen, Beijing, Istanbul and Rome, I helped coordinate more than 150 pro-life/pro-family groups resulting in pro-life victories in Cairo, Istanbul and Rome. I was educated at Salesian College, London, before going to Oxford where I graduated in English Language and Literature. I qualified as a teacher, becoming head of English at a secondary school. I am married to Josephine. We have a grown-up family and we live in north London.