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Ruth Fletcher, Professor of Law, Queen Mary University of London

MPs could vote on two proposals to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales – the debate explained

Protesters in summer 2023 demanding decriminalisation of abortion. Loredana Sangiuliano/Shutterstock

Legal protection of abortion rights in England and Wales is fragile. Abortion has popular support and is readily available on the NHS, but has also generated a series of criminal investigations. Nicola Packer is one of the most recent abortion-seekers facing criminalisation rather than care. She was found innocent in May after a five year ordeal.

Amid concerns about investigations for illegal abortions, MPs may vote on June 17 on legislative action to decriminalise abortion. Political opinion is divided, however, on how to do it. In the absence of a broader push for the kind of inquiries that produced full decriminalisation in Northern Ireland in 2019, MPs will consider two different legal proposals: NC1 and NC20.

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