A new poll shows that seven in ten Brits oppose the decriminalisation of abortion.
The opinion poll, by ComRes and commissioned by Christian charity CARE, demonstrates overwhelming support for legal restraints on abortion.
Its findings are in marked contrast to calls for abortion on demand from some medical groups.
‘Legal framework’
The poll, of more than 2,000 British adults, showed that nearly three in four (72 per cent) of the general public believe abortion should be subject to the law. Just one in eight (12 per cent) disagreed.
Nola Leach, CARE’s Chief Executive, said: “There is clearly still a mainstream view in society that abortion needs to be governed within a legal framework.”
“Rather than making abortion more widely available we should be doing more to support women and children in pregnancy and beyond for the good of our society”, she added.
The polling took place between the 20th and 22nd of October. Data was weighted to be representative of all adults aged 18+ by age, gender, region and social grade.
Lower abortion limit
In Britain, abortions generally can take place up to 24 weeks but disabled children can be aborted up to birth.
A separate poll, commissioned earlier this year found that 70 per cent of women want the 24 week limit to be lowered.
The study, by the group Where do they stand? found 60 per cent of people want abortion limited to below 20 weeks.
On demand
More than 20 per cent wanted the limit to be lowered to 12 weeks.
The views of the public are in stark contrast to the leadership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), who voted to back abortion on demand in September, despite a revolt by its members.
RCOG’s leaders support the decriminalisation of abortion at any stage in pregnancy – affirming a campaign by BPAS which began in February 2016.
