MPs will vote later today to decide whether to decriminalize abortion
If agreed it will be the the biggest reform to England and Wales’ abortion laws since the 1960s
The move follows Six women have appeared in court in England in three years charged with ending or attempting to end their pregnancy outside the limited abortions allowed under the 1967 Abortion Act
The current law that covers England and Wales says that abortion is illegal but allowed up to the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, and beyond that in certain circumstances.
Abortions currently have to be approved by two doctors.
There are two amendments, the first by Labour’s Tonia Antoniazzi will attempt to remove women from the 1861 criminal law related to abortion, meaning they would no longer be able to be prosecuted under the act when it relates to their own pregnancy
The second amendment from Labour’s Stella Creasy seeks to remove criminal penalties for both women and medical professionals involved in abortions
