Peter Gibson MP for Darlington has voted in favour of introducing protest buffer zones around abortion clinics. Every year, around 100,000 women are treated by a clinic or hospital for an abortion that are targeted by anti-abortion protests.
Yesterday (Tuesday 18th October) the House of Commons voted 297 to 110, in favour of New Clause 11 of the Public Order Bill.
This New Clause will introduce buffer zones around abortion clinics and hospitals in England and Wales where it will become an offence to interfere, intimidate or harass women accessing, or people providing, abortion services.
Those convicted could face up to six months in jail for a first offence or two years for further offences. A buffer zone would apply to an area which is within 150 metres from any part of an abortion clinic or access point to any building or site that contains an abortion clinic.
The introduction of this New Clause to the Public Order Bill has been pushed for by a cross-party group of MPs and MPs across the UK were given a free vote on this issue. Peter Gibson MP joined 112 other Conservative MPs to back the New Clause.
Peter Gibson MP said “I am pleased to have supported this New Clause in today’s vote. A woman’s right to choose needs to be backed by being protected from harassment and intimidation at a clinic”
