Mark Pritchard has called for “fundamental reform” of England’s abortion laws.
Appearing on BBC’s Newsnight programme, the MP said current laws were out of date and lagged behind recent breakthroughs in science, antenatal care, and neonatal care.
The MP, who is Vice chairman of the Parliamentary Pro-life Group, said he hoped to see the law reformed and see the current term limit come down from 24 weeks to 22 or 20 weeks.
He has also said that West Mercia Police and Crown Prosecution Service should prosecute those who terminate babies because they were not the sex the parents or mother wanted.
Mr Pritchard said:
“Abortion should be an exception in all circumstances. The level of repeat abortions, up to eight in some cases, prove this is not the case. Children should never be aborted for gender reasons or for physical ailments that can be corrected after birth, such as a club foot. Those who break the law should be prosecuted. The number of abortions is still far too high and yet thousands are looking to adopt newborn babies. The law needs to work for the unborn and for mothers and parents.”
In 2008, the MP joined the then Conservative MP, Ann Widdicombe, in trying to get the abortion term limit reduced from its current 24 week term limit but the amendment was vetoed by Tony Blair’s government