IMGpapers 1976–79

Newspapers of the International Marxist Group and its forerunners, 1976–79

Speakout on abortion We should be against all free votes for Labour MPs'

Socialist Challenge No. 2, 16 June 1977 · p. 2 of the scan · 701 words

The scan: sc-n02-jun-16-1977.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive, opens at this page)

Uncorrected machine reading. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from a scan of a newspaper page, and the page was cut into articles by machine, at the headlines found by their type size. Nothing has been corrected: expect misread words, text from a neighbouring article, and titles that are the machine reading of the headline, some of them only fragments. Quote from the scan, not from this page.
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page 2 of the scan

Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper Street, London N1. Distribution 01-359 8371 The Bill votes to 132 on second reading nes into Standing committee o expected. This 16 person comLarge sections of the women's BUCH CHE BEATIC BETTON C paign have argued corsectly that abortion is a class issue for equnl pay scrimination is to be IThalf the working class is denin the democratic right to control their own bodies, then this is ar issue which affects the whole ol the working class and one which both men and women should The Labour Governsent has nu positive policy on abortion. Whille stating its support for the '67 Act, il bends do the pressure of the antiMPs a free vote. As socinlists we should be against all free votes. The Inhour Government and MPs should be responsihle to the decisions of the working eless and not to their CORNELIES When almost every signiticant conference of the working class support of abortion rights for women, it is even more important LOTS SHE EULOSES he replaced by those who will. in essence, the free vote means the freedora" for MPs to vote against the working class.

Many members of the Labour that abortion is a class issue. But they refuse to struggle against the JIE INC. This sabotge the fight for watten's rights and at the same time redubes the abortion issue to a persona Those MPs who argue in favour of the free vote on this issue are which received 170 mitter enriler maam TE CHIME TEHIN and against sex i have the nant to and allows Labour individual allows MPs to MP:

these MPs are not, they ahead.

tie backed dominated by antiahendiments before de Bl will debate out submitted to the Commons for hypocrites, and i'm not aware ofa single MP who opposes it. They refuse to recognise its class nature and daim that their moral or rellpious views prevent them from voting in favour. Buthow many of who supported Benson's Bill, and Harold Sison was one of them, voted against Vietnam? The only issue on which week. If they are successful, the Bill could be ready for its final reading as carly as mid-July. It still have up to three months following the August Parlismentury rocess to press The Parliamentary progren of anti-abortionists la being campaien from SPUC and Life. shy sepped-up union copterences and sancal unions have beee the target for women to a lle of unwanted ASTRID LEVER, in the chairet the sucoesafur founding conference of the Labaur Abortion Rights Campaign ohjectorsis women sliberation Tulstheast-abortion forces wit forcedthe debate on the Free Vete and we should mol allow ourselves their termin. Our aim in LARC should be to unite all those in the Labour Purs prepare so reason tee abortion on request and — as with every campaign in the labour demand that our leaders vote accordingly or be reSPUC has annoanced a student demonstration on 24 June which will assemble st the offices of the British Medical The Natiomal Abortion Cam paign has not let these Istes developments go by menoticed. debate pro mises to be a high note of the Laboor Party Women's Conference underway in Hurrogate. asked NOTTIE LEVER, gate to the Conferrace Bad an executive member of the Labour Abortion Rights Carapaige, for her views on the responsibilities of Labour MPs and the free vote. mored as cowards and reactinearies.

Vites over become a ye te A or part of LARC'S to campaign for the Government to bring out legislation guarantee Weare organising a pro-abortion lobby at the Labour Ристу Conference. For Lurther delais bicast contact: Astrid Lever, 57 Trinity Road, LoodooNZ.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? If you agree with theee priaciples and wast to be involved in activities by Socialist Challenge sup porters la yourures, fill in the form below and send it 1 am interested In more information ahout acti I would like additional literature and enclose 50g

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BENYON's restrictive abortion bill is still alive and well and winding its way through Parliamentary procedure. Anti- abortionists like the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child have until November to press for Govern- ment time to approve the bill.

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