A HUGE SUCCESS for the abortion campaign - that was the verdict on the National Tribunal for Abortion Rights on Saturday. 'This gives us a firm basis for building up the campaign against the Benyon Bill, said Rose Shapiro, organiser for the National Abortion Campaign, Ireland. Belcium. America, Italy. France. heard evidence from gynaecologists, Community Health Councils, trade unionists, Labour Party members, and women who have had abortions. All the evidence showed why it is essential for women's liberation that abortion should be available, free, and on demand.
The evidence also demonstrated the launching this fight inside the working class.
Union of Teachers in East London testified: 'The leadership of our union, including the Communist Party, have argued that abortion is not an area we should take positions on. We are a trade union supposedly concerned with the welfare of our members. teachers. At this year's NUT Conference we hope to overturn the reactionary stance of our union.' Barbara Roberts, a cardiologist from organiser of the Woman's National Abortion Action Coalition, presented a water-tight case for the right of women to decide when and if to terminate a pregnancy. She explained how the state had wrested this right, fundamental women's liberation, with the help of the Church and institutions. person has the right to decide whether to live inside another person's body, yet this is what the "foetus-fetishists" are demanding. The starting point for Gail Lewis - my doctor thinks his black patients breed too much' OUT NOW ABORTION RIGHTSA SOCIALIST PERSPECTIVE VOMANSI at the end of the day.
Over 2,000 people came to Central Hall, Westminster. They came from as well as all parts of Britain. They obstacles to be overcome in As a member of the National But abortion is of vital concern to women The second session of the day was devoted to international speakers. Dr.
Pennsylvania and past national other class The state has given foetuses even more rights than humans have. No Act would aftect them. keep the black population down.
sector Socialist Woman campaigning for abortion rights must be our concern for the living woman and her right to independence, not some mystical attachment to the foetus.' The other international speakers stressed how any restrictions on the 1967 Dolores Thomas, from the Liberation Movement, had her passport revoked by the Spanish authorities at the last minute. But she sent her greetings to the Tribunal: * and the women of Spain wish you the best. If the Benyon Bill is implemented, many of us will suffer. We hope to join your demonstration in May.
Ann Connolly, of Irishwomen United, told of the trade in desperate women between Dublin and Liverpool or London. Some of these girls leave Dublir where they are going. They have no idea of the standard o hygiene of the clinic, but these girls are prepared to go ahead and have the In the final session on the medical situation, Gail Lewis, from London, showed how an important aspect of 'a woman's right to choose' was being abused under the 1967 Act. I did get an NHS abortion' since found out that my doctor thinks his black patients breed too much. He doesn't give white women abortions or the pill because he wants to keep them in the home. We must right an in strate and from aren choose. It's not just black women in Puerto Rico and America, women in Britain who are being given abortions and forced sterilisations to But it was the urgent need to fight the Benyon Bill which most strongly came out of the Tribunal. Madeleine Simms, Service, explained how the latest attack is - who try to fill the gaps the NHS leaves. charities to refer women to Harley Street clinics by making it illegal for them Barcelona Women's she said. 'but l've of the Pregnancy Advisory directed against the charity The Bill tries to force to run their own clinics. and throw our clients to the wolves again. women Renee Short MP summarised the findings of the evidence presented. was to be expected she provided campaign outside of lobbying MPs, Central Hall. was clear to them the MPS, lacking. and in the smoke-filled rooms of the Committee.
Westminster launch 14 May demonstration, opposition to the Benyon Bill.
NAC in 1980 if necessary. We hope it won't be necessary.
MIRY 1L n Barbara Roberts - 'concern for the living wo mar Mr. Benyon is trying to cut us off from our clinics The losers will be 30,000 British AS no real perspective forward for 'even Tories'. Her assurances that, •We are working very hard in the House of Commons to mobilise support to work against the Benyon Bill', hardly rang true for the campaigners assembled at that past performance even those supposedly committed to abortion rights, was sadly These same MPs signed their names to the restrictive First Report of the Select Committee once they were out of the spotlight of the campaign Angela Phillips from the NAC Steering Committee closed the day's events She outlined action plans to meet the threat of the Benyon Bill: 'On 24 February, the day before the second reading of the Bill in Parliament, there will be a torchlight march leaving from Bressenden Place, Victoria, through and ending up at a rally at Central Hall. We will use this to where we SHOW Massive Red Weekly urges all its readers to build for this demonstration, and to make it at least as big as the famous march of 21 June 1975 against James . For as Rose Shapiro said: "We will carry on the fight. There will be a
RED WEEKLY 3 February 1977 3