The presidents of the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Scotland and England and Wales have issued a letter considering the forty years of legalized abortion in Britain. Their message emphasizes that “abortion is always a choice between life and death” and that political action must be taken to protect the unborn. 

Cardinal Keith O’Brien, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, and Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, called for social change and gradual political action to effect achievable pro-life reforms.  “It is both licit and important for those in public life who oppose abortion on principle to work and vote for achievable incremental improvement to what is an unjust law,” they wrote.

The United Kingdom has one of the most unrestrictive abortion laws in Europe, allowing abortion up to 24 weeks into gestation.  In cases of fetal disability and other exceptional circumstances, abortions are permitted even until birth.