to be fostered. approaching.
What to do?
WE URGE Socialist Challenge readers to take up ronowing trade union, womens' sub-committees. Get them to:
• Write to sponsored MPs urging them to publically oppose the Bill. • Circularise all the members alerting them to the Bill and the need to campaign against • Get them to write to local Community Health Councils, trades councils and local councils to ask them to take action against the Bill.
• In the event that the Bill reaches committee stage, to contact the National Abortion Campaign and Labour Abortion Rights Campaign groups in the area, with a view to setting up a local labour movement campaign • Get your local Labour Party or trade union to call a meeting inviting other organisations in the area to launch a campaign.
• Affiliate to NAC and send in money to help campaign against the Bill. Organise fund raising activities.
• Finally, we must put out the call on the Labour Party NEC and the TUC to organise s national demonstration with other pro-choice organisations. ONCE AGAIN an abortion 'horror' story has hit the headlines. In Luton, an allegedly 34 week old footus has survived and is now the situation of the mother. Abortions can be done at any time to save the mother's life.
In this particular case, the abortion took place in a hospital which normally refuses to perform abortions after 11 weeks -referring them to a charity clinic If the story has a familiar ring, it is because the anti-abortion organisation, LIFE, always manages to discover similar stories when a new anti-abortion bill is on the horizon, or an election is measures through their Drenches and But what the Tory gutter press didn't tell us was In 1970, as part of a pre-election campaign St John-Steva (who has drawn second place in this years private members ballot discovered a private clinic selling foetuses for rescarch — used mainly to discover the causes of neonatal deaths and CEO cancer research.
Similar lurid stories were used in the bookBabies for Burning copies of which were sent to MP's in 1975 as part of the campaign for James White's 'abortion amendment' bill.
1975 also saw a report of a foetus supposedly lefi alive for Pro longed investigation by the DHSS failed to locate the But by TENCE BIT story had fulfilled its pur OUSE With 1978 the Benyon bill, story went the rounds of an abortion per Barking hospital alleged, the living baby which resulted was left to die. The truth was that the woman had the abortion to save her life, that a cacsarian had been performed so that the baby could also be saved, and it was put into an intensive Chew the papers which had the hor ror story ran the true tacts when they came out.
But the number of shock horro stories was reserved for the Corrie bill in 1979: • 25 March: crying 20 week | April: 22 week foetus left for two hours at Whiston hospital life of BOOTLEG at Barnsley General WCC STOCEE hospital 9 18 miracle foetus survives abor hospital Chortsley (it soon dies) • 24 October: 24 week boy Toe a Crasgow Royal Mor foetus mary.
In each and every case, SHOWERE the stories are falsified anc distorted. But they serve well . in whipping up hysteria.
The anti-abortionists use these stories paign for lower limits — which they see as the most popular of their demand: Yet later abortions - - after 20 weeks account for less than two percent of all abortions. They are per CLOT the most serious of reasons.
What's more the anti-abortionists campaign fiercely against walk-in day care clinics and other proposals designed to make early LOUTHUH. casier to get — creating a catch 22 situation, The fact is abortion like LIFE and SPUC, want to stop egal abortions altogethe They will use whatever tac tics they can, including lies DOCT an outside Any and all attacks on our existing abortion rights must be resisted. We must defend the right of have abortion at any time.