Nadine Dorries gets what she wants - what can we do?

[pointythings]

Link: here

This is going to mean women being forced to delay having an abortion because they are only going to be able to get it from an independent (read 'deligious anti abortion) organisation.

And we thought that what was happening in the US couldn't happen here.

I can't remember the last time I was this furious. Women should of course have counselling when they have an abortion - if they want it. And they should be able to get it from whomever they bloody well want - they should not be forced to get it from an organisatino whose primary aim is to talk them out of it.

kveta. there's an e-petition on another thread you coud sign? I'll go and look for it.

i have emailed mine. it is all so unclear what it'll be as far as i can (can't) see.

it is so bloody difficult to get a termination on nhs that lots of people go private (and marie stopes etc) anyway. I fucking hate nadine dorries and am aghast she wields such power.

There is another thread with a link to a thing which sends an email to your MP (v easy to use) and a petition. I will post a link to that thread on the assumption the OP won't mind?

here

Link to MP thing in the OP and petition further down

Done - and have forwarded the link to my daughter (and thus all her friends) and mine. It's a disgrace.

SardineQueen - the OP has signed the petition and says well done you!

I saw that thread as well, but the e-petition thing confused me a bit though. As far as I am concerned, the 2 doctor limit is a completely separate issue to the anti-choice and faith organisations offering counselling. Can anyone explain to me why they have been put together?

I'm not sure why the two issues have been included in the one petition. However, some comments on the thread about this issue in AIBU expressed concern about the way the law is framed in the UK. You have to get two doctors to certify basically that continuation of the pregnancy will make you mentally or physically ill (or meet another narrow condition - for example already having a severely disabled child to care for and your ability to care for them could be compromised by the birth of another child.)

It means that in reality, women do not have the right to "choose" to have an abortion, but have to be considered ill or bad by 2 doctors before allowed to have an abortion. In many other countries, the matter is up to the woman, at least to a certain level of gestation, with advice from one doctor. I think the idea is to call not just for Dorries' "reforms" to be halted but for the law to be amended to remove the hurdle of two doctors and the implication that abortion can only be granted if you are effectively mentally or physically ill.

Thanks, I suppose that makes sense.

My MP has responded saying she will be voting against Nadine Norries. She also says;

I am interested, though, in any evidence that is available about whether the provision of independent advice would necessarily deter women from making the right decision for them or cause additional delay.

Any ideas?

Write, email, or visit your MP at their surgery. Tell them not only do you disagree with this, but you will vote against them if they vote yes. Point out that the threads on mumsnet nearly all disagree with this (a bunch of pregnant women and mothers), point out that the legislation is not planning to offer the same impartial advice to women thinking about keeping the pregnancy which is surely discriminatory if the purpose is to help women.
I also think we should put in freedom of information requests to Dorries to see what her dealings with rleigious and anti-abortion groups are, and to see what her expenses are as I do not see why the taxpayer should fund her agenda. The conservative shave a funny way of trying to stay in power they seem to listen to the empty vessels that make the most noise and ignore what the majority of people want. Do they really thinking pissing off nealry all women is going to get them votes, or convince people not to vote against them (and thats the important thing, do not just not vote for them, but vote against them). I also think we should object to the fact that the handbook for some of these impartial advisors tells them abortion is wicked and against christianity - how is that even legal.
Also another point I want to make is that killing a child once it is born is illegal and always has been even if it was born after a botched abortion. Unless I have misunderstood it seems Dorries in some of her articles claims to have been a nurse at a botched abortion where the baby was born alive, and it was still killed. She does not say that she killed it only that she was holding it saw it was alive but was told to get one with disposing with it. I do not believe this for a second, but surely if this is true and I have not misunderstood her this was highly illegal and she should be investigated.

Balia,
I would tell her that it is very difficult to provide independent advice, and by refusing to allow abortion providers to do this they are supporting the false claim that these charities are profit making bodies. Point out women are already made to wait too long in the UK as it is, and that an impartial advisor is not one who looks up a book telling him or her abortion is wicked. Also point out that abortion providers already provide impartial advice, and Dorries has not provided any evidence that these people are breaking the law and pushing people into abortions.

kveta,
Contact your MP again, and ask him very specific bullet point questions i.e does he have evidence that marie stopes is breaking the law and pushing people to get abortions for profit despite the fact they are a not-for profit charity prvideing advice on contraception and stds, does he think women should be given advice about whether to continue a pregnancy, does he agree the advice should be provided with the aim to cut abortions or is he happy if it leads to an increase in abortions, has he ever been pregnant, does he relaise that by forcing a woman to continue with a pregnancy you are forcing her to undergo several intimiate examinations, and put her health and life at risk more than if she had an abortion and ask if he is happy with this, and point out that abortion is actually safer than continuing with a pregnancy and childbirth, I would also ask him what he thinks about Dorries claims about the live abortion, doe she think the police shoudl be looking into that if true etc Also tell him you will vote against him in the next elections, and do so. Also scan his reply in and post it on the internet.

Who the hell voted for this poisonous misogynistic lunatic? Don't tell me, I know - the same kind of people as live in my constituency, who'd vote for a dog turd if it was wearing a blue rosette.

I just sent an email via the abortion rights website to my MP. He sent a email back which was not only obviously preformulated (not in itself such a problem) but which was on another subject altogether! GP-led commissioning! Which, of course, he is in favour of (and which he rather unbelievably claims GPs are also in favour of). I can't quite work out whether he is actually just incompetent or is too busy earning a packet as a barrister to fulfil his political duties.

Progress on this just reported in the Guardian here which will hopefully kick Nadine Dorries into the long grass this time.