Mayor calls on Transport for London to cancel abortion advert ban
The mayor of London is calling on Transport for London (TfL) to lift its ban on adverts that campaign for the decriminalisation of abortion.Sir Sadiq Khan is "urgently" looking into the banned British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) adverts, which share stories of police investigations into women - some of who were prosecuted for having an abortion.Heidi Stewart, chief executive of BPAS, said the adverts supported Tonia Antoniazzi MP's amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill.In a letter sent to BPAS, TfL said the campaign made "serious allegations about the police" and could bring TfL or the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) into disrepute". TfL was contacted for comment.
One of MOPAC's functions is to hold the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Commissioner to account, TfL said in its letter.It said that MOPAC's functions in respect of the force were "to some extent regulatory", adding that "the nature of the copy could bring MOPAC into disrepute given its responsibilities in relation to the MPS".
A spokesperson for Sir Sadiq said the mayor had "stepped in"."We are now urgently looking into this issue so we can allow adverts from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service on London's transport network," they said.
A spokesperson for BPAS said they had not been contacted by the mayor's office directly and said the campaign had a "very narrow window."Ms Heidi Stewart said: "This is a pivotal moment for MPs to reform our abortion law and prevent more women from suffering the trauma and injustice of police investigations and the risk of criminalisation. "Ahead of the vote in parliament, it is absolutely vital that the voices of the women who have been so deeply harmed by the current law are allowed to be heard. "We urge the mayor to take swift action and allow our charity to share these stories as a matter of urgency."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
10 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ex-hospital consultant bailed by court on indecent images and voyeurism charges
A former hospital consultant has appeared in court charged with voyeurism, attempting to incite a teenage girl to engage in sexual activity, and making indecent images of children. Dr Matthew Isles, who worked as an ear, nose and throat specialist prior to his arrest in February this year, spoke only to confirm his personal details during a brief hearing at North Staffordshire Justice Centre on Wednesday. The 53-year-old, of Whiston, near Cheadle, Staffordshire, was not asked to enter any pleas at the request of his lawyer and was granted conditional bail to appear at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on June 16. The hearing was told that 13 new charges faced by Isles, who worked at the Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital, Stafford, would be joined with similar allegations already being dealt with at the Crown Court. The latest charges, read into the court record by the magistrates' clerk, include one of attempting to incite a 15-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity. Wearing a dark suit and a blue striped tie, Isles appeared before three magistrates further charged with possessing extreme pornographic images portraying sex acts involving a person and live animals, three counts of distributing indecent images of children via messaging apps and one of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. Magistrates were told the former medic is also charged with observing a person doing a private act in 2023 for sexual gratification by recording them without consent, three counts of making indecent images of a child, one of possessing prohibited images of a child, and one of possessing extreme pornographic images 'portraying an act likely to result in serious injury to person's private parts'. The remaining new charge faced by Isles alleges that he was in possession of a 'paedophile manual movie' in February this year at Whiston 'which contained advice or guidance' about sexual abuse. The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) said in February that it was fully co-operating with the police in their investigation but it could not comment on an active criminal case. The Trust has since confirmed that Isles is no longer one of its employees.
BBC News
12 minutes ago
- BBC News
Suffolk man calls for paid student nursing placements
The father of a student nurse said he was "blissfully ignorant" trainees were not paid for their NHS placements and has launched a petition. Alex Lawrence, from Eye, Suffolk, has called for the abolishment of student nursing university fees and unpaid placements after his daughter, Tabatha, started her Prinsley, the Labour MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, previously worked in the NHS for 30 years and said he agreed with the petition.A government spokesperson said nurses played a "critical role" and there was a non-repayable grant of at least £5,000 available to help with their student placements. As part of nursing degrees, students have to complete 2,300 hours of clinical placements that are unpaid while also paying for their tuition fees."If you've got the support of a family that don't charge you keep, you don't have to pay rent, maybe [who] make sure you get there every day, that's absolutely lovely," Mr Lawrence, whose petition has more than 6,200 signatures, said."But I do worry dearly about all the people out there that aren't quite as lucky, that might be fantastic nurses, doctors and dentists, but because of the financial implications will never get the chance," he added. Mr Lawrence added he felt the non-repayable grant available to student nurses "barely" helped. Prinsley said he agreed with Mr Lawrence that nurses were "essential" and he would sign the petition. "If somebody asks me, 'Who looks after the patients?', I always say it is the nurses," he said."I agree with them that they certainly shouldn't be doing this for nothing."I think the whole thing really merits review." Melanie McAteer, Suffolk's senior officer for Royal College of Nursing, said there had been a 35% drop in students applying for nursing degrees since 2021, and 21% of students drop out of the course each year."We know that nursing students have shocking experiences of being unable to afford food, being homeless and facing uncertain employment after qualifying," she added.A spokesperson for the University of Suffolk said its applications for 2025 entry to undergraduate adult nursing were 3% lower compared with the same point last spokesperson added applications for children's nursing were higher and it had seen an uptake in nursing apprenticeships."Nurses play a critical role in providing high-quality, compassionate and safe care, as well as helping to restore our world-class NHS system, as part of our Plan for Change," a government spokesperson said."Eligible nurses receive a non-repayable grant of at least £5,000 per academic year from the NHS through the Learning Support Fund, in addition to maintenance and tuition fee loans provided by the Student Loans Company." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
12 minutes ago
- BBC News
Inverness woman allegedly murdered by her son named by police
A woman who was allegedly murdered by her son in a disturbance in Inverness has been named by MacDonald, 52, was taken to hospital after emergency services were called to a house in Craigton Avenue at about 19:30 on Sunday. She died on said a 55-year-old man who was also injured in the incident remained in Fraser, 30, was charged with using two knives to repeatedly stab his mother and the man when he appeared in court on Tuesday. He made no plea and was remanded in custody.
