Latest news with #SPUC
Epoch Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Epoch Times
Woman Cleared in Abortion Trial as MPs Push for Law Reform
The recent acquittal of Nicola Packer, a 45-year-old woman prosecuted for inducing an abortion beyond the legal limit, comes as MPs push to reform UK abortion laws. Packer, who took abortion pills during the COVID-19 lockdown believing she was within the permitted gestational period, was found not guilty by a jury at Isleworth Crown Court on May 8. The legal limit for taking medication at home to terminate a pregnancy is 10 weeks, while the outer limit for abortions in England, Scotland, and Wales is 24 weeks, apart from in certain circumstances. Packer maintained she was unaware of her true gestation, which was approximately 26 weeks. The trial heard she took prescribed abortion medicine at home in November 2020 and later brought the foetus to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in a backpack. The telemedicine abortion, also known as the It allows women in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy to receive abortion medication at home after a remote consultation. Related Stories 9/18/2024 11/27/2023 Supporters Critics, including the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), The pro-life organisation has argued the policy enables abusers to coerce women into abortions and allows women to misrepresent their gestation timelines over the phone. Proposed Changes Abortion complications become more likely as pregnancy progresses, no matter the method used. A Right to Life UK campaigners have warned that changes to the abortion law could put more women at risk. Commenting on the The amendment seeks to remove women from criminal law related to abortion. It means that women acting in relation to their own pregnancies would no longer face arrest, prosecution, or imprisonment, regardless of gestation. 'The proposed change to the law would also lead to an increased number of viable babies' lives being ended well beyond the 24-week abortion time limit and beyond the point at which they would be able to survive outside the womb,' said Right to Life UK. It noted that the amendment does not outline circumstances in which it would continue to be an offence for a woman to perform her own abortion, highlighting the case of In 2020, Foster aborted her child at 34 weeks with illegally-obtained abortion pills. She was jailed in 2023 after the court found she lied to the British Pregnancy Advisory Service—a leading abortion provider—about how far along in her pregnancy she was. Foster was sentenced to jail, though she was later suspended on appeal. Despite the criticism, Antoniazzi Representatives from the whole pro-life movement and their supporters gather to demonstrate in Parliament Square in London on May 15, 2024.'Full Decriminalisation' A separate It would extend legal safeguards to medical professionals who assist women with consent, provided the pregnancy is under 24 weeks. It also introduces an additional layer of protection by requiring that any prosecution—whether of a woman or a doctor—must first be personally approved by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Criticising the proposals, SPUC 'This would in effect mean full decriminalisation of abortion, up to birth, for any reason … including the sex of the baby,' it said. The government has said any changes to abortion laws are 'a matter of conscience for parliamentarians.' 'All women have access to safe and legal abortions on the NHS,' a government spokesperson said, adding that decisions to prosecute are for the Crown Prosecution Service and are 'incredibly rare.' Abortion Law Abortion is still technically a criminal offence under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929. But under the Abortion Act 1967, there are exceptions that legalise it under specific circumstances, including sign-off by two doctors. This framework applies in England, Scotland, and Wales, but not in Northern Ireland, where abortion is legal in the early stages of pregnancy (up to 12 weeks) without needing to give a reason. A change to the law is being supported by professional bodies including the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), the Royal College of Midwives, the Royal College of Nursing, and the Royal College of General Practitioners. In a The groups called for women to no longer be prosecuted under the 1861 and 1929 acts for ending their own pregnancies, bringing the law in England and Wales in line with Northern Ireland. Public Opinion Public opinion polling by Overall, 74 percent support enshrining abortion rights in law, though opinion is evenly split on keeping the pills-by-post policy. Support is much lower for further loosening abortion rules, such as allowing abortion pills to be sold over the counter without a prescription. Just 33 percent of people back the idea, while 53 percent are opposed. Opposition is consistent among both men and women across all age groups. PA Media contributed to this report.
The Independent
11-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Half of people fear timing of assisted dying law alongside benefits cuts, poll shows
The public is deeply concerned about a 'perfect storm' of assisted dying and benefit cuts, a new poll suggests. MPs will vote again later this week on plans to legalise assisted dying at the same time as ministers push ahead with plans to slash £5bn from the welfare bill. Half, 51 per cent, of those polled agreed they 'would be worried about the timing' of such a law at the same time as benefit cuts. While most, 71 per cent, of the more than 2,000 adults polled supported the principle for terminally ill adults in pain, nearly six in 10 believed that no law can safeguard against rogue medics abusing the change for their 'own gratification'. The survey was carried out by Whitestone Insight, a British Polling Council member, for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC). Michael Robinson, executive director of SPUC said: 'This polling clearly shows the public has a much better understanding of the problems with changing the law than some proponents of the bill believe. Indeed, the public know that legalising assisted dying at the same time as slashing benefits, will create a perfect storm, putting pressure of vulnerable and disabled people to end their lives prematurely – and they don't like it.' Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP behind the Assisted Dying Bill, defended the Bill on Sunday, insisting it was "about human beings". Asked by Times Radio about an impact statement that suggested the proposal could save the NHS millions of pounds, she said: 'I think if we distil this issue down to pounds and pence, we're kind of missing the point. This is about human beings. And whilst it's very important that the impact assessment is done, and we look into the practical implications of changing the law, what really matters is the human beings at the centre of it.' She added: 'We need to be really clear what the problem is that we're trying to fix. And it's about giving dying people autonomy, dignity and control in their final few weeks and months.' Prime minsiter Sir Keir Starmer will miss this week's debate on assisted dying, in a move that some have seen as the PM cooling on the proposals. MPs are expected to vote on a number of amendments to the Bill on Friday.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Willy McCoy's to open in Shakopee this summer
Willy McCoy's, a 1920s Prohibition-themed tavern, will open in Shakopee this summer after nearly two years of planning and some complications. Water and utility costs ensnared Owner Korey Bannerman in February, when he was charged $250,000 in water and sewer connection fees by the city of Shakopee, Metropolitan Council and Shakopee Public Utilities Commission. Since 2002, the SPUC water connection charge has increased from $567 per unit to $6,039 per unit. That's not including the trunk water fee that is charged per acre, which was $831 per net acre in 2002 and today is $4,451 per net acre. Steve Soltau, the building's project manager, has been developing property in Shakopee since the 1990s and said water and utility fees tend to hit restaurants the hardest because they are considered heavy water users. 'When you're building a restaurant and suddenly those fees are over a quarter of a million dollars, it impacts the viability of that restaurant entirely,' Soltau said. Where a retail shop might pay for up to three units at a cost of $9,021 per unit, Willy McCoy's will be on the hook for approximately 28 units. That fee is divided among three entities, with 5.5 percent going to the city of Shakopee, 27.5 percent to the Met Council and 67 percent to SPUC. City administrator Bill Reynolds said the city did not agree to Bannerman's earlier request for help with water utility costs. 'This is a SPUC issue,' Reynolds said. 'The city is not going to subsidize SPUC fees.' In February, Bannerman agreed to a three-year payment program with SPUC, which gives him three years to pay for the fees with zero interest or rate escalation. In the end, though, a payment plan won't ease the overall cost, he said. The restaurant will be part of Southbridge Crossings, a development between Home Depot and Marcus Southbridge Crossing Cinema off County Roads 21 and 18. The restaurant's exact opening date is not available to the public yet.
