MPs have just voted on an amendment that was introduced by a group of MPs to attempt to lessen the negative impacts of the buffer zone clause that was added to the Public Order Bill.
Amendment A would have ensured that silent prayer and consensual communication are not made illegal outside abortion clinics – unfortunately, this amendment did not pass this evening, with MPs voting by 299 to 116 against the amendment.
Another amendment (B) that would have required a review to take place before buffer zones came into force was not taken to a vote (you can read more about these amendments in the article that we published earlier this week on Right To Life News here).
Thank you to everyone who wrote to their MPs asking them to oppose the buffer zone clause in the Public Order Bill.
A large number of MPs spoke in the debate against the introduction of buffer zones and in support of the above amendments.
Sadly it appeared the majority of the MPs who voted down this amendment tonight were not in the chamber to hear these speeches during the debate, and only arrived in the chamber when the division on the amendment was called.
We are currently collating the final details on how each MP voted and will have that information up on our Where Do They Stand voting record platform after Parliament releases its data on the vote.
