UK House of Lords Backs Abortion Pardon

The United Kingdom===House of Lords has backed an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that would pardon women convicted or cautioned for illegal abortions in England and Wales, removing their details from police systems. This follows a previous move by MPs to decriminalize self-terminated pregnancies. The United Kingdom===House of Lords also rejected attempts to overturn this decriminalization and to mandate in-person consultations for abortion medication, which became permissible at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key figures like Tonia Antoniazzi and Glenys Thornton, Baroness Thornton supported the pardon, while Rosa Monckton, Baroness Monckton of Dallington Forest and Philippa Stroud, Baroness Stroud opposed aspects of decriminalization and telemedical abortions, citing safety concerns. Sarah Mullally, the Archbishop of Canterbury, also expressed opposition to the decriminalization. The United Kingdom government, through Alison Levitt, Baroness Levitt, maintains a neutral stance on abortion in England and Wales.