A key proposal for abortion law reform | Letters

As experts in law, we write to commend Diana Johnson MP for her 10-minute rule bill. The bill, which is due to be heard on 13 March, offers an important first step towards taking pre-viability abortion out of the criminal law.

Abortion is currently an offence in English law by virtue of an archaic and punitive statute passed at the midpoint of the reign of Queen Victoria. Under its terms, any woman who ends her own pregnancy at any stage of gestation is potentially liable for life imprisonment. This is the harshest penalty for abortion imposed anywhere in Europe.

The statute is also unusual in failing to distinguish between abortions at different stages of pregnancy; many countries in Europe recognise that a woman has the right to end an early pregnancy.

Non-consensual abortion or dangerous or negligent abortion services offered by third parties are appropriately subject to legal sanction and would remain so following the removal of specific criminal prohibitions on abortion, under general provisions of criminal law.

However, in our view, the onus is now on those who wish to retain the threat of prosecuting women to explain why this offers a justifiable part of our response to the problem of unwanted pregnancy.
Professor Sally Sheldon
Kent Law School, University of Kent
Nick Beard
Student
Ruth Fletcher
Senior lecturer in medical law, Queen Mary University London
Professor Marie Fox
Professor of law, University of Liverpool
Jillian Merchant
Solicitor, Glasgow
Catherine O’Rourke
Senior lecturer in human rights and international law, University of Ulster
Elizabeth Prochaska
Barrister, Matrix Chambers
Laura Robinson
Student
Richard Stein
Leigh Day Solicitors
Poppy Wilkinson
Student
Sheelagh McGuinness
Senior lecturer, University of Bristol
All the above Lawyers for Choice Steering Committee Group
Professor Peter Alldridge
Professor of law, Queen Mary University of London
Professor Richard Ashcroft
Professor of bioethics, Queen Mary University of London
Professor Diamond Ashiagbor
Professor of law, University of London
Professor Peter Bartlett
Professor of law, University of Nottingham
Professor Vikki Bell
Goldsmiths, University of London
Professor Lois S Bibbings
Professor of law, gender and history, University of Bristol Law School
Professor Hazel Biggs
Professor of law, University of Southampton
Professor Jo Bridgeman
Professor of healthcare law and feminist ethics, University of Sussex
Professor Gillian Calder
Associate dean, University of Victoria
Professor John Coggon
Professor of law, University of Bristol
Professor Richard Collier
Professor of law, Newcastle University
Professor Dave Cowan
Professor of law and barrister, Bristol University
Professor Sharon Cowan
Professor of law, University of Edinburgh
Professor Richard de Friend
Retired professor of law
Professor Gillian Douglas
Professor of law, Cardiff University
Professor Jocelyn Downie
Professor of law, Dalhousie University
Professor Lindsay Farmer
Professor of law, University of Glasgow
Professor John Fitzpatrick
Director of Kent Law Clinic, University of Kent
Professor Judy Fudge
Professor of law, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Professor Penny Green
Professor of law, Queen Mary University of London
Professor Elspeth Guild
Professor of law, Queen Mary University of London
Professor John Harrington
Professor of global health law, Cardiff University
Professor Didi Herman
Professor of law, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Professor Tamara Hervey
Professor of law, University of Sheffield
Professor Kathryn Hollingsworth
Professor of law, Newcastle University
Professor Rosemary Hunter
Professor of law and socio-legal studies, Queen Mary University of London
Professor Emily Jackson
London School of Economics
Professor Marie-Andree Jacob
Professor of law, Keele University
Professor Jennifer Koshan
Professor of law, University of Calgary
Professor Kate Malleson
Professor of law, Queen Mary University of London
Professor Wade Mansell
Emeritus professor, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Professor Judith Masson
Professor of law, University of Bristol
Professor Jonathan Montgomery
Professor of healthcare law, Faculty of Laws, University College London
Professor Linda Mulcahy
London School of Economics
Professor Vanessa Munro
Professor of law, University of Warwick
Professor Richard Nobles
Professor of law, Queen Mary University of London
Professor Colm O’Cinneide
Professor of law, University College London
Professor Nicky Prialux
Professor of law, Cardiff School of Law
Professor Muirrean Quigley
Professor of law, Newcastle University
Professor Jo Samanta
Professor of medical law, De Montfort University
Professor Ralph Sandland
Professor of law, School of Law, University of Nottingham
Professor Jo Shaw
Professor of law, University of Edinburgh
Professor Ann Stewart
Professor of law, University of Warwick
Professor Carl Stychin
Dean and professor of law, City Law School,
University of London
Professor Michael Thomson
Professor of health law, University of Leeds
Professor Steve Uglow
Professor of law, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Professor Katrin Voltmer
Professor of law, University of Leeds
Professor Celia Wells
University of Bristol
Professor Toni Williams
Professor of law, head of Kent Law School, University of Kent
Professor Chris Willmore
Professor of law, Bristol University
Dr Donatella Alessandrini
Reader in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Dr Nicola Barker
Senior lecturer in Law, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Dr Kate Bedford
Reader in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Dr Joanne Beswick
Lecturer in law, Staffordshire University
Dr Christine Beuermann
Lecturer in law, Newcastle Law School
Dr Karen Brennan
Lecturer in law, University of Essex
Rachel Cahill-O’Callaghan
Lecturer in law, Cardiff University
Dr Paul James Cardwell
Reader in law, University of Sheffield
Dr Shazia Choudhry
Reader in law, Queen Mary University of London
Dr David Churchill
Lecturer in criminal justice, University of Leeds
Dr Emilie Cloatre
Reader in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Dr Emma Cunliffe
Associate professor, Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia
Margaret Duckett
Lecturer in midwifery, University of Southampton
Dr Marian Duggan
Lecturer in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Dr Rachel Fenton
Senior lecturer in law, University of the West of England
Dr Jennifer Fleetwood
Lecturer in criminology, University of Leicester
Dr Ruth Fletcher
Senior lecturer in law, Queen Mary University of London
Dr Sara Fovargue
Reader in law, Lancaster University
Dr Nikki Godden-Rasul
Lecturer in law, Newcastle University
Dr Imogen Goold
Associate professor, University of Oxford
Dr Emily Grabham
Reader in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Dr Paul Gragl
Senior lecturer in law, Queen Mary University of London
Dr Kate Greasley
Lecturer in Law, University College London
Dr Samantha Halliday
Associate professor, University of Leeds
Dr N Hammond-Browning
Lecturer in law, Southampton University
Dr Shawn Harmon
Reader in law and barrister, University of Edinburgh
Dr Jen Hendry
Lecturer in law, University of Leeds
Dr Emma Hitchings
Lecturer in law, Bristol University
Dr Kirsty Horsey
Senior lecturer in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Dr Jonathan Ives
Senior lecturer in biomedical ethics and law, University of Bristol
Dr Imogen Jones
Associate professor, University of Leeds
Dr Sarah Keenan
Lecturer in law, Birkbeck Law School
Dr Chloe Kennedy
Lecturer in criminal law, University of Edinburgh
Ms Kirsty Keywood
Senior lecturer in law, University of Manchester
Dr Edward Kirton-Darling
Lecturer in law and solicitor, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Dr Atina Krajewska
Senior lecturer in law, University of Sheffield
Per Laleng
Senior lecturer in law, University of Kent
Dr Sam Lewis
Lecturer in law, University of Leeds
Dr Carly Lightowlers
Academic fellow, University of Leeds
Dr Claire Lougarre
Lecturer in law, University of Southampton
Dr Sorcha MacLeod
Lecturer in law, Free University Berlin
Ms Sorcha Mc Cormack
Research assistant, University of Leeds
Dr Julie McCandless
Assistant professor, London School of Economics
Professor Jean V McHale
Professor in law, University of Bimingham
Dr Lynsey Mitchell
Lecturer in law, University of Strathclyde
Daniel Monk
Reader in law, Birkbeck, University of London
Dr Violeta Moreno
Lecturer in law, Queen Mary University of London
Annette Morris
Reader in law, Cardiff University
Dr Daniel Newman
Lecturer in law, Cardiff Law School
Joanne Pearman
Associate lecturer in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Dr Craig Purshouse
Lecturer in law, University of Liverpool
Christina Perry
Senior lecturer in law, Queen Mary University of London
Maria Sheppard
Lecturer in law, Queen Mary University of London
Dr Sara Ramshaw
Senior lecturer in law, University of Exeter Law School
Jane Rees
Senior lecturer in law, University of the West of England
Katie Richards
Lecturer in law, Cardiff University
Dr Apolline Roger
Lecturer in law, Sheffield University Law School
Dr Harriet Samuels
Reader in law, Westminster Law School
Dr Anna Sergi
Lecturer in law, University of Essex
Dr Ruth Stirton
Lecturer in healthcare law, University of Sussex
Dania Thomas
Lecturer in law, University of Glasgow
Dr Sharon Thompson
Lecturer in law, Cardiff University
Dr Dimitrios Tsarapatsanis
Lecturer in law, University of Sheffield
Dr Ilke Turkmendag
Lecturer in law, Newcastle Law School
Dr Sorcha Ui Chonnachtaigh
Lecturer in ethics and law, Keele University
Dr Kenneth Veitch
Senior lecturer in law, University of Sussex
Dr A M M Viens
Associate professor, University of Southampton
Dr Sophie Vigneron
Senior lecturer in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Dr Julie Wallbank
Lecturer in law, University of Leeds
Dr Daniel Wei Liang Wang
Lecturer in law, Queen Mary University of London
Dr J Wier
Senior lecturer, Canterbury Christchurch University
Dr Ania Zbyszewska
Associate professor, University of Warwick School of Law
Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC
Bindmans LLP
Jonathan Austin-Jones
Barrister, University of Kent
Elizabeth Prochaska
Barrister, Matrix Chambers
Mikal Anderson
Solicitor, Kent County Council
Carol Aylott
Solicitor, Kent Employment Solicitors
Shruttee Dutt
Solicitor, Creighton and Partners
Sarah Collins
Solicitor, Unionline Scotland
Katherine Craig
Solicitor
Nick Fairweather
Solicitor, Fairweathers Solicitors LLP
Ana Kalisnik
Solicitor, Zupancic and Mauhler
Russell Levy
Solicitor, Leigh Day
Michael Newman
Legal partner, Leigh Day
Christine Tallon
Legal partner, Leigh Day
Hannah Uglow
Solicitor, University of Kent
Merry Varney
Legal partner, Leigh Day
Sue Willman
Solicitor, Deighton Pierce Glynn
Sheona York
Solicitor, Kent Law Clinic
Benjamin Bishop
Professional accreditation officer, University of Kent
Freya Danby
Para legal, Leigh Day
Jayne Instone
Career development officer, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Samantha Lester
Student success project officer, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Alice Pinches
Para legal, Irwin Mitchell
Niamh Quille
Para legal, Leigh Day
Gus Silva
Company director, University of Middlesex
Laura Wares
Legal assistant, Kent County Council
Lucy Batstone
Student, University of the West of England
Nick Beard
Student, University of Sussex
Elliot Black
Student, University of Southampton
Jessica Brewin
Student, University of Law
Alan Brown
Doctoral researcher, University of Strathclyde
Caroline Browne
Student, University of the West of England
Emily Burke
Student, University of Groningen
Maisie Butler
Graduate
Meghan Campbell
Student, Oxford University
Georgia Cherry
Student, University of Sheffield
Ashima Chopra
Student, Queen Mary University of London
Lilian Clemence
Student, University of Southampton
Emma Crowhurst
Student, University of Law
Miles Cullimore
Student, University of the West of England
Sara Davies
Student, Cardiff University
Chris Dietz
Student, University of Leeds
Kit Fotheringham
Student, Bristol University
Bee Hiang Goh
Law graduate, University of Sheffield
Shannon Green
Student, University of the West of England
Angharad Griffiths
Student, University of the West of England
Xujun Guan
Law graduate, University College London
Barbara Hardy
Student, University of Bristol
Dannielle Hardy
Student, Nottingham Trent University
Madeleine Henson
Student, University of Southampton
Glenys Hunt
Student, University of Liverpool
Sarah Johnson
Student, University of Groningen
Kelsie Dunkley
Student, University of the West of England
Madeleine Laot
Student, University of Sheffield
Elliott Lauder
Student, University of Bristol
Megan Lee
Law graduate,University of Bristol
Yao Lu
Student, University of Sheffield
Hanna Lunnard
Student, University of Groningen
Thomas McManus
Research fellow, Queen Mary University of London
Emma Mews
Student, University of Lincoln
Emma Milne
Student, University of Essex
Elizabeth Morgan
Student, University of Southampton
Tyria Morgan
Student, University of the West of England
Amber Owen
Student, University of the West of England
Alex Louise Pearl
Student, University of Leeds
Fahmida Akhter Privy
Student, University of the West of England
Sannah Nisa Rehman
Student, University of the West of England
Laura Robinson
Law graduate, University of Sheffield
Rebecca Sanders
Student, University of Sheffield
Goksu Sevim
Student, University of Groningen
Kirsten Shellis
Student, University of the West of England
Laura Shurrock
Law graduate, University of Sheffield
D S Nelaka De Silva
Student, University of Law
Jessica Edith Gibbons Smith
Student, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Robyn Smith
Student, University of Sheffield
Victoria Smith
Student, University of Sheffield
Robert Strooper
Student, University of Groningen
Ayobami Thomas
Student, University of Sheffield
Kieran Tye
Student, University of Southampton
Helene Tyrrell
Teaching fellow, Newcastle University
Clowie Wheeler-Ozanne
Student, University of Strathclyde
Katelyn Willmott
Law graduate, Queen Mary University London
Lara Wills
Student, University of Southampton
Travis Wisdom
Student, University of Adelaide

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A key proposal for abortion law reform | Letters