Dr Paul Stern, 55 Bridge Lane, London paign. Next Monday the day of reckoning will arrive for all those MPs who have claimed in the past to support the aims of the National Abortion CamFrom 7 till 10 o'clock that night, debate and voting has been scheduled in Parliament to determine whether or not the reactionary Select Committee will be reconstituted. This is the body responsible for the restrictions introduced on women's right to abortion during the summer Health Minister Barbara Castle stated auring a neated meeung or the rarla mentary Labour Party a fortnight ago unal she let it mant not be tne men time to go ahead with the Select Committee. sur even i owner yrs take ner ad vice, we can be certain that restrictions on women's right to abortion will go ahead - through the back door. Minister of State David Owen has already promised a Bill to reduce the present 28-week limit to 24 weeks, and whether charitable agencies will be able to carry out dav care abortions has yet to be decided.
Tune House or commons votes not to go ahead with the Select Committee now, this will be a great victory; but it will then be even more crucial that the fight for free abortion on demand a Woman suit to choose - De sucooca up. This is the only way to ensure that aL never De une runame to conta ue with the attacks on abortion rights.
If the Select Committee is reconstituted, our tasks are clear. We must continue to rally all those forces in the Labour Party and in the trade unions who are prepared to implement the decisions of We must call for the disbanding of the Select Committee - the workers movement has already taken a firm stand in support of women's abortion rights. And we must take the issue of abortion even murtner into une ranks or te Work ers movement as part of the fight against an or the anti-working clas policies of the Labour Government Every committee set up to fight the cuts must come out against the idea that abortion facilities are a 'luxury that can go first. Every trade union school or conference on the great achievement of the Labour Government -the Sex Discrimination Act must have its attention drawn to the other side of the coin: that while the Labour Govemment nas come up with te sen Discrimination Act on the one hand, it is attacking a fundamental right of women on the orDer Every Labour Party and trade union meeting must organise to ensure that 'its" MP is not let off the hook - MPs who reruse to be nee accountane to nework hu cass snoute be remove crank com ney in Hammersmith - an MP whose position is presently being challenged -is a case in point. His reactionary views on abortion have not gone unnoticed in the tight tor his remova!!
Either way, the fight for women's abortion rights must be stepped up. The 3 April demonstration will provide a chance to demonstrate that the working class is prepared to light against the Labour Government's policies, and is Dreparca to organise to impement ge decisions of its organisations.
Inere will be a lobby and demonstration outside the House of Commons from 4-7 pm on 9 February. Then there will be a 'Speak Out' on abortion starting at 7 pm in Central Hall, during the debate in the Commons. Anyone with ideas on how to take the fight forward will be heard!