Yesterday demonstrators gathered in Marlborough High Street and in Devizes to voice their concerns about local MP Danny Kruger’s comments to the House about abortion earlier in the week. Demonstrators carried placards saying “Keep your mitts off our bitts Kruger,” “Not going back to the 50’s,” “My autonomy is not up for political debate” and cars tooted in support.
During the House of Commons debate on Tuesday June 28 about the American abortion ban Danny Kruger said he does not agree that women have an “absolute right to bodily autonomy. I think that, in the case of abortion, that right is qualified by the fact that another body is involved.”
Mr Kruger was also among 61 Conservative MPs who last week voted against an amendment which will allow the government to extend abortion access in Northern Ireland by directly commissioning services.
Facebook posts about yesterday’s Marlborough protests have been gathering hundreds of likes and comments; an online petition to remove Danny Kruger as MP has over 1400 signatures.
Danny Kruger has posted a response on his website and acknowledges that his comments “have caused a lot of distress and anger, including in my constituency of Devizes. I regret this very much.”
He goes on to say: “My position on abortion reflects the status quo. I support the 1967 Abortion Act, and I do not wish to dictate what a woman should do with her own body, as has been claimed.
What I said in the Commons was that ‘in the case of abortion’ a woman’s ‘absolute right to bodily autonomy… is qualified by the fact that another body is involved.’ This is the basis of the law as it stands, which recognises that somewhere along the journey towards birth the foetus or baby acquires rights of its own.
The fact is that all autonomy – all liberty – is qualified. We are not absolutely free because we are not absolutely alone. ‘Absolute autonomy’ in the matter of abortion would mean no restrictions at all on the termination of healthy, viable babies up to nine months’ gestation. It is this radical position that I oppose.”
To read Danny Kruger’s response in full click here.
Ramsbury Primary cricket team are county champs
