AS Socialist Challenge went to press, Tory MP John Corrie seemed to be on the verge of announcing a Private Member's Bill to introduce further restrictions on the control a woman may have over her own body.
"Lie MP
Ayrshire and Bute, had this to say in Glasgow's Evening Times on women and abortion:
"A girl has to be very naive not to know by weeks that she pregnant. If she is having an abortion she should have had it by then. After 16 weeks she should be made to have her baby.' These three sentences ee sententes stail the anti-abortion sanctimonious, sugary sentiment in Which it is normally wrapped. Corrie says it plain and simple: a woman "should be made to have her baby':
No if the concerned was 'naive? and know she was pregnant.
No matter if concerned would mental or emotional pain if she gave birth.
On 12 No matter North concerned was 'ashamed' to do anything about her pregnancy before No matter, the woman will be birth.
It hardly needs spelling out that what is involved in Corrie's Bill is an attack on democratic rights as basic as -thịs reactionary ment is likely to see. What Corrie is the moving towards is not just marginal restrictions on the control a woman • has over her own body, but a policy.of forced birth which carries with it truly horrendous implications.
So this isn't just an issue for the women's movement; it is an issue for woman every progressive, didn't individual and organisation in the the face enormous havt the woman raped and door.
is Corrie's argument; has 'made' to give rally Tory ParliaParty even liberal SUBSCRIBE NOW Abroad: Airmail, £16.50. Surface, f10 per annum.
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Cheques, POs and Money Orders should be made payable to Complete and return to: Socialist Challenge, 328 Upper Street, London N¿ Corrie has jibed, 'I dare say I'll women's libbers pounding me'. That is not a quarter of it, Mr Corrie. From this week on the hope is that you will be so denounced the reactionary, authoritarian specimen which you are that you will be afraid to pop your head out of any The National Abortion Campaign formulated plans which can defeat the Bill - but only if these plans receive the massive backing the deserve from the women's, student and labour movement. The include a demonstration and coincide with the second reading of the Bill, estimated to take place on 13 or 20 July, emergency conference; Women's TUC to honour its pledge to organise a national demonstration in From this week on the maximum unity and the maximum action necessary to bury Corrie's Bill. From this week on it should be the number one issue for all of us 3-4 The Oval, London Ez.