THE APPEARANCE of the new Benyon Bill to restrict abortion rights has made it even more ucent nat cople leave National Tribunal Vomen's Abortion rights on 29 January with a clear commitment for a united vigorous response to latest tack. The anti-abortionists are on the offensive. They will use this Bill to achieve their real ends - to wipe out completely the limited gains of the 1967 Abortion Act by changing the grounds for abortion.
The past months have not been easy for those committed to the pro-choice movement. The extremely successparliamentary manoeuvring which put White Bill into a Select Committee was followed by piecemeal restrictions on women's abortion rights. ATTACKS nese attacks were inTou"
away from the spotlight от InE movemen. though important local often centred Dalous facilities - have been launchNovel DaS! ycar. possibility of a nationally ordinated response to continued interference women's abortion rights was minimal.
Of all the organisations inEvolved in the abortion moveonly the National Abortion Campaign has remained committed to a mass-action on perspective. Even within NAC, all has not been well.
FORCE atIn the months leading up to une one eate orne 20,000 strong against the James White Bill, almost every force on the left was involvee in SNAC difficulties SITUCTOR were many of these organisations disappeared during these months that it wareven more important to keep up the fight!
While the attacks continued through massive cuts through piecemeal restrictions - it was a testing-time for the But how did the range of forces comprising the left in Britain respond?
OTOthrough actions Al- leaders of cam- Whatever political situaclaiming CUT. support rights will take measures only co- insofar as they not to.
in When a groundswell of opposition emerged James China range of MPs travelled up and Nearly 150 women at Magnavox, Barking Essex are in pay grades 6,7,8 whereas the youngest males are in the higher grade 5. The women are on strike against this blatant evasion of the Equal Pay Act. Most men are on strike too and all will remain out until management at least negotiate.
down the country speaking at meetings, putting their names and sometimes resources local initiatives taken in their constituencies. itself, they marched head of However, once the abortion issue disappeared from limelight, ved in the Select Committee, the organised movement subsided. Why did this happen?
An important must be laid at the doorsten of When these Me no rests to tee objective resent interests class, encountered nose or women It was these MPs who found Was expedient names to the First Deleci argued that they to given way well tions and had fought off the most severe one presented to the Select Committee. was this compromising stand broad that added to the disarray of the pro-choice movement: thread runs or ine ALRA democracy.
to Organisations like the AbReform OROn Law tion, who also rely on cannot afford mentary expediencies to win changes, also promising stand on the First Report. release, ALRA judged some of wnole the clauses as positive, others. Photo: JOHN STURROCK (Report) and!
lives trial USerS