Having been away for a few days I missed the Liverpool Daily Post’s article on Frank Field and his attempt, along with Nadine Dorries to change the current abortion laws. Both have tabled ammendments to the Health and Social Care Bill, these ammendment would of course be subject to a vote in Parliament, according to the Daily Post, Field is trying to avoid Parliament on this issue and push through these controversial changes without any Parliamentary scrutiny or agreement. Has he [Field] been invited to talk to Health Department officials about changing the law through the use of regulation rather than through legislation? If so this is a dangerous precedent, and as Sunny Hundal points out on Liberal Conspiracy certainly undemocratic. Abortion is an emotive issue, but the provision and advice available for women considering abortion should be based on science and sound medical advice. Frank Field and Nadine Dorries want this advice to be taken out of the hands of abortion providers who they say have vested interests, and given to ‘independent’ organisations. And therein lies the problem, for I firmly believe that both Field and Dorries motives on the abortion debate stem from their religious beliefs and a desire to see the abortion limit in the UK reduced from 24 weeks to 20[based I might add on spurious claims] and no doubt both have the backing of the religious right and Pro Life groups. I have serious concerns about who these ‘non abortion providers’ are going to be, you can work out for yourself who both Field and Dorries wish them to be. Frank Field and Nadine Dorries are playing a dangerous game of trying to change existing legislation through the ‘back door’ and that is a phrase that I would never want to see applied to abortion in this country. Ever.

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