As experts in law, we write to commend Diana Johnson MP for her 10-minute rule bill. The bill, which is due to be heard on 13 March, offers an important first step towards taking pre-viability abortion out of the criminal law.

Abortion is currently an offence in English law by virtue of an archaic and punitive statute passed at the midpoint of the reign of Queen Victoria. Under its terms, any woman who ends her own pregnancy at any stage of gestation is potentially liable for life imprisonment. This is the harshest penalty for abortion imposed anywhere in Europe.

The statute is also unusual in failing to distinguish between abortions at different stages of pregnancy; many countries in Europe recognise that a woman has the right to end an early pregnancy.

Non-consensual abortion or dangerous or negligent abortion services offered by third parties are appropriately subject to legal sanction and would remain so following the removal of specific criminal prohibitions on abortion, under general provisions of criminal law.

However, in our view, the onus is now on those who wish to retain the threat of prosecuting women to explain why this offers a justifiable part of our response to the problem of unwanted pregnancy.



Professor Sally Sheldon

Kent Law School, University of Kent

Nick Beard

Student

Ruth Fletcher

Senior lecturer in medical law, Queen Mary University London

Professor Marie Fox

Professor of law, University of Liverpool

Jillian Merchant

Solicitor, Glasgow

Catherine O’Rourke

Senior lecturer in human rights and international law, University of Ulster

Elizabeth Prochaska

Barrister, Matrix Chambers

Laura Robinson

Student

Richard Stein

Leigh Day Solicitors

Poppy Wilkinson

Student

Sheelagh McGuinness

Senior lecturer, University of Bristol

All the above Lawyers for Choice Steering Committee Group

Professor Peter Alldridge

Professor of law, Queen Mary University of London

Professor Richard Ashcroft

Professor of bioethics, Queen Mary University of London

Professor Diamond Ashiagbor

Professor of law, University of London

Professor Peter Bartlett

Professor of law, University of Nottingham

Professor Vikki Bell

Goldsmiths, University of London

Professor Lois S Bibbings

Professor of law, gender and history, University of Bristol Law School

Professor Hazel Biggs

Professor of law, University of Southampton

Professor Jo Bridgeman

Professor of healthcare law and feminist ethics, University of Sussex

Professor Gillian Calder

Associate dean, University of Victoria

Professor John Coggon

Professor of law, University of Bristol

Professor Richard Collier

Professor of law, Newcastle University

Professor Dave Cowan

Professor of law and barrister, Bristol University

Professor Sharon Cowan

Professor of law, University of Edinburgh

Professor Richard de Friend

Retired professor of law

Professor Gillian Douglas

Professor of law, Cardiff University

Professor Jocelyn Downie

Professor of law, Dalhousie University

Professor Lindsay Farmer

Professor of law, University of Glasgow

Professor John Fitzpatrick

Director of Kent Law Clinic, University of Kent

Professor Judy Fudge

Professor of law, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Professor Penny Green

Professor of law, Queen Mary University of London

Professor Elspeth Guild

Professor of law, Queen Mary University of London

Professor John Harrington

Professor of global health law, Cardiff University

Professor Didi Herman

Professor of law, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Professor Tamara Hervey

Professor of law, University of Sheffield

Professor Kathryn Hollingsworth

Professor of law, Newcastle University

Professor Rosemary Hunter

Professor of law and socio-legal studies, Queen Mary University of London

Professor Emily Jackson

London School of Economics

Professor Marie-Andree Jacob

Professor of law, Keele University

Professor Jennifer Koshan

Professor of law, University of Calgary

Professor Kate Malleson

Professor of law, Queen Mary University of London

Professor Wade Mansell

Emeritus professor, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Professor Judith Masson

Professor of law, University of Bristol

Professor Jonathan Montgomery

Professor of healthcare law, Faculty of Laws, University College London

Professor Linda Mulcahy

London School of Economics

Professor Vanessa Munro

Professor of law, University of Warwick

Professor Richard Nobles

Professor of law, Queen Mary University of London

Professor Colm O’Cinneide

Professor of law, University College London

Professor Nicky Prialux

Professor of law, Cardiff School of Law

Professor Muirrean Quigley

Professor of law, Newcastle University

Professor Jo Samanta

Professor of medical law, De Montfort University

Professor Ralph Sandland

Professor of law, School of Law, University of Nottingham

Professor Jo Shaw

Professor of law, University of Edinburgh

Professor Ann Stewart

Professor of law, University of Warwick

Professor Carl Stychin

Dean and professor of law, City Law School,

University of London

Professor Michael Thomson

Professor of health law, University of Leeds

Professor Steve Uglow

Professor of law, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Professor Katrin Voltmer

Professor of law, University of Leeds

Professor Celia Wells

University of Bristol

Professor Toni Williams

Professor of law, head of Kent Law School, University of Kent

Professor Chris Willmore

Professor of law, Bristol University

Dr Donatella Alessandrini

Reader in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Dr Nicola Barker

Senior lecturer in Law, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Dr Kate Bedford

Reader in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Dr Joanne Beswick

Lecturer in law, Staffordshire University

Dr Christine Beuermann

Lecturer in law, Newcastle Law School

Dr Karen Brennan

Lecturer in law, University of Essex

Rachel Cahill-O’Callaghan

Lecturer in law, Cardiff University

Dr Paul James Cardwell

Reader in law, University of Sheffield

Dr Shazia Choudhry

Reader in law, Queen Mary University of London

Dr David Churchill

Lecturer in criminal justice, University of Leeds

Dr Emilie Cloatre

Reader in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Dr Emma Cunliffe

Associate professor, Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia

Margaret Duckett

Lecturer in midwifery, University of Southampton

Dr Marian Duggan

Lecturer in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Dr Rachel Fenton

Senior lecturer in law, University of the West of England

Dr Jennifer Fleetwood

Lecturer in criminology, University of Leicester

Dr Ruth Fletcher

Senior lecturer in law, Queen Mary University of London

Dr Sara Fovargue

Reader in law, Lancaster University

Dr Nikki Godden-Rasul

Lecturer in law, Newcastle University

Dr Imogen Goold

Associate professor, University of Oxford

Dr Emily Grabham

Reader in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Dr Paul Gragl

Senior lecturer in law, Queen Mary University of London

Dr Kate Greasley

Lecturer in Law, University College London

Dr Samantha Halliday

Associate professor, University of Leeds

Dr N Hammond-Browning

Lecturer in law, Southampton University

Dr Shawn Harmon

Reader in law and barrister, University of Edinburgh

Dr Jen Hendry

Lecturer in law, University of Leeds

Dr Emma Hitchings

Lecturer in law, Bristol University

Dr Kirsty Horsey

Senior lecturer in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Dr Jonathan Ives

Senior lecturer in biomedical ethics and law, University of Bristol

Dr Imogen Jones

Associate professor, University of Leeds

Dr Sarah Keenan

Lecturer in law, Birkbeck Law School

Dr Chloe Kennedy

Lecturer in criminal law, University of Edinburgh

Ms Kirsty Keywood

Senior lecturer in law, University of Manchester

Dr Edward Kirton-Darling

Lecturer in law and solicitor, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Dr Atina Krajewska

Senior lecturer in law, University of Sheffield

Per Laleng

Senior lecturer in law, University of Kent

Dr Sam Lewis

Lecturer in law, University of Leeds

Dr Carly Lightowlers

Academic fellow, University of Leeds

Dr Claire Lougarre

Lecturer in law, University of Southampton

Dr Sorcha MacLeod

Lecturer in law, Free University Berlin

Ms Sorcha Mc Cormack

Research assistant, University of Leeds

Dr Julie McCandless

Assistant professor, London School of Economics

Professor Jean V McHale

Professor in law, University of Bimingham

Dr Lynsey Mitchell

Lecturer in law, University of Strathclyde

Daniel Monk

Reader in law, Birkbeck, University of London

Dr Violeta Moreno

Lecturer in law, Queen Mary University of London

Annette Morris

Reader in law, Cardiff University

Dr Daniel Newman

Lecturer in law, Cardiff Law School

Joanne Pearman

Associate lecturer in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Dr Craig Purshouse

Lecturer in law, University of Liverpool

Christina Perry

Senior lecturer in law, Queen Mary University of London

Maria Sheppard

Lecturer in law, Queen Mary University of London

Dr Sara Ramshaw

Senior lecturer in law, University of Exeter Law School

Jane Rees

Senior lecturer in law, University of the West of England

Katie Richards

Lecturer in law, Cardiff University

Dr Apolline Roger

Lecturer in law, Sheffield University Law School

Dr Harriet Samuels

Reader in law, Westminster Law School

Dr Anna Sergi

Lecturer in law, University of Essex

Dr Ruth Stirton

Lecturer in healthcare law, University of Sussex

Dania Thomas

Lecturer in law, University of Glasgow

Dr Sharon Thompson

Lecturer in law, Cardiff University

Dr Dimitrios Tsarapatsanis

Lecturer in law, University of Sheffield

Dr Ilke Turkmendag

Lecturer in law, Newcastle Law School

Dr Sorcha Ui Chonnachtaigh

Lecturer in ethics and law, Keele University

Dr Kenneth Veitch

Senior lecturer in law, University of Sussex

Dr A M M Viens

Associate professor, University of Southampton

Dr Sophie Vigneron

Senior lecturer in law, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Dr Julie Wallbank

Lecturer in law, University of Leeds

Dr Daniel Wei Liang Wang

Lecturer in law, Queen Mary University of London

Dr J Wier

Senior lecturer, Canterbury Christchurch University

Dr Ania Zbyszewska

Associate professor, University of Warwick School of Law

Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC

Bindmans LLP

Jonathan Austin-Jones

Barrister, University of Kent

Elizabeth Prochaska

Barrister, Matrix Chambers

Mikal Anderson

Solicitor, Kent County Council

Carol Aylott

Solicitor, Kent Employment Solicitors

Shruttee Dutt

Solicitor, Creighton and Partners

Sarah Collins

Solicitor, Unionline Scotland

Katherine Craig

Solicitor

Nick Fairweather

Solicitor, Fairweathers Solicitors LLP

Ana Kalisnik

Solicitor, Zupancic and Mauhler

Russell Levy

Solicitor, Leigh Day

Michael Newman

Legal partner, Leigh Day

Christine Tallon

Legal partner, Leigh Day

Hannah Uglow

Solicitor, University of Kent

Merry Varney

Legal partner, Leigh Day

Sue Willman

Solicitor, Deighton Pierce Glynn

Sheona York

Solicitor, Kent Law Clinic

Benjamin Bishop

Professional accreditation officer, University of Kent

Freya Danby

Para legal, Leigh Day

Jayne Instone

Career development officer, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Samantha Lester

Student success project officer, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Alice Pinches

Para legal, Irwin Mitchell

Niamh Quille

Para legal, Leigh Day

Gus Silva

Company director, University of Middlesex

Laura Wares

Legal assistant, Kent County Council

Lucy Batstone

Student, University of the West of England

Nick Beard

Student, University of Sussex

Elliot Black

Student, University of Southampton

Jessica Brewin

Student, University of Law

Alan Brown

Doctoral researcher, University of Strathclyde

Caroline Browne

Student, University of the West of England

Emily Burke

Student, University of Groningen

Maisie Butler

Graduate

Meghan Campbell

Student, Oxford University

Georgia Cherry

Student, University of Sheffield

Ashima Chopra

Student, Queen Mary University of London

Lilian Clemence

Student, University of Southampton

Emma Crowhurst

Student, University of Law

Miles Cullimore

Student, University of the West of England

Sara Davies

Student, Cardiff University

Chris Dietz

Student, University of Leeds

Kit Fotheringham

Student, Bristol University

Bee Hiang Goh

Law graduate, University of Sheffield

Shannon Green

Student, University of the West of England

Angharad Griffiths

Student, University of the West of England

Xujun Guan

Law graduate, University College London

Barbara Hardy

Student, University of Bristol

Dannielle Hardy

Student, Nottingham Trent University

Madeleine Henson

Student, University of Southampton

Glenys Hunt

Student, University of Liverpool

Sarah Johnson

Student, University of Groningen

Kelsie Dunkley

Student, University of the West of England

Madeleine Laot

Student, University of Sheffield

Elliott Lauder

Student, University of Bristol

Megan Lee

Law graduate,University of Bristol

Yao Lu

Student, University of Sheffield

Hanna Lunnard

Student, University of Groningen

Thomas McManus

Research fellow, Queen Mary University of London

Emma Mews

Student, University of Lincoln

Emma Milne

Student, University of Essex

Elizabeth Morgan

Student, University of Southampton

Tyria Morgan

Student, University of the West of England

Amber Owen

Student, University of the West of England

Alex Louise Pearl

Student, University of Leeds

Fahmida Akhter Privy

Student, University of the West of England

Sannah Nisa Rehman

Student, University of the West of England

Laura Robinson

Law graduate, University of Sheffield

Rebecca Sanders

Student, University of Sheffield

Goksu Sevim

Student, University of Groningen

Kirsten Shellis

Student, University of the West of England

Laura Shurrock

Law graduate, University of Sheffield

D S Nelaka De Silva

Student, University of Law

Jessica Edith Gibbons Smith

Student, Kent Law School, University of Kent

Robyn Smith

Student, University of Sheffield

Victoria Smith

Student, University of Sheffield

Robert Strooper

Student, University of Groningen

Ayobami Thomas

Student, University of Sheffield

Kieran Tye

Student, University of Southampton

Helene Tyrrell

Teaching fellow, Newcastle University

Clowie Wheeler-Ozanne

Student, University of Strathclyde

Katelyn Willmott

Law graduate, Queen Mary University London

Lara Wills

Student, University of Southampton

Travis Wisdom

Student, University of Adelaide

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