Government shelve plans to reform surrogacy law!

[OhHolyJesus]

Yesterday The Times shared the news that proposed reform to relax laws and make surrogacy more commercial will not be going forward ‘at the current time’.

”In a letter sent last month to Sir Peter Fraser, the commission’s chairman, Merron said “the government is unable to prioritise surrogacy reform and do not intend to put forward these legislative proposals at the current time” due to other “key priorities”. But, she added, “We will publish a government response as time allows and will look to consider this issue in the future.”

<a class="break-all" href="https://archive.is/2025.05.08-143221/www.thetimes.com/article/78a23be0-36b9-410a-ae19-3c210ecd6cf7?shareToken=c5474b7a6b32ed3f9dc02c5fda514813" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://archive.is/2025.05.08-143221/www.thetimes.com/article/78a23be0-36b9-410a-ae19-3c210ecd6cf7?shareToken=c5474b7a6b32ed3f9dc02c5fda514813

Many women here would have written to their MP, talked about the reform proposals and raised their concerns in conversations so hopefully this news reassures us all that this isn’t yet another huge, immediate fight for women and children’s rights.

But of course it’s not over. The law now allows for women to be exploited and trafficked and babies to be commodified and removed from their mothers at birth.

From the article:

“But in answer to a parliamentary question, Merron confirmed that the government “has no plans to restrict international travel for surrogacy.”

So, we fight on.

Amazing news. Well done to everyone who worked on this.

Onwards!

Interesting...

... At least something is going into those little braincells around Whitehall. Penny dropping noises?

I hope so Red, it’s a widely unpopular set of proposals which several organisations have sought to raise the awareness of, of the dangers.

It might be that it’s not a ‘no’ but a ‘not right now’ so we should keep one eye open, but nevertheless it does show that the penny has dropped!

It's interesting seeing which MPs and MSPs are also expressing concern over the assisted dying bills...

I get the sense there's a few subjects which they are sensing as potentially disaster areas.

I’m so relieved about this. The subject upsets me so much to think about. My kids are adopted and although it was necessary, I see and they live with the consequences of that separation every day. To think that people can plan to separate child from mum on purpose is just too horrifying.

Ah Chicken, it must be really tough. I see adoption as something else completely. Surrogacy is this deliberate plan before even conception takes place, to remove a newborn from their mother as soon as they are born.

If a baby has to be taken from their mother because they are at risk, or to save the mother’s life, that is not at all the same and the process to even clear adoption procedures is also completely different.

Assisted Dying
Puberty Blockers
Surrogacy

They all have this theme of consent running through them don’t they?

Consent, coercion, trauma and privilege. Combined with all kinds of prejudice.