The Crime and Policing Bill 2024-25 is a wide-ranging piece of legislation introduced on February 25, 2025, aimed at addressing issues such as anti-social behaviour, knife crime, violence against women and girls, terrorism, and public order, among others. It supports the government’s “Safer Streets” mission, which includes targets to halve knife crime and violence against women and girls within a decade.
The New Clause 1 (NC1) proposed dis-applying existing criminal law related to abortion from women acting in relation to their own pregnancy at any gestation. In other words, it aimed to decriminalise abortion for women making decisions about their own pregnancies, effectively removing criminal penalties for self-induced abortions at any stage.
Outcome: The vote passed in favor of adding New Clause 1 to the bill.
Ayes: 379 MPs voted in favor.
Noes: 137 MPs voted against.
Majority: The clause was adopted with a majority of 242 votes.
You can see which MPs voted for this outcome on the Parliament website.
Green MP and Co-Leader of the Green Party Carla Denyer supported the vote and posted to X:
I had an abortion in my 20s - I know how important it is that women have control over our own bodies and don't face criminalisation for our choices
So glad to be 1 of 379 MPs who successfully voted to decriminalise abortion - an historic vote to protect a woman's right to choose
-- Carla Denyer MP, June 17, 2025
Reform MP Richard Tice was scathing in his post to X:
Disgusting
Labour cheered as they voted to become the party of baby killers
SICK
-- Richard Tice MP, June 17, 2025
Isabel Oakeshott, Political Journalist and Commentator, was equally unimpressed:
There are NO circumstances in which it is acceptable to kill a healthy baby that can survive outside the womb. This is not 'progressive' - it is Stone Age. There will be horrors.
Isabel Oakeshott, June 17, 2025
Labour MP Nadia Whittome was supportive of the vote, posting to X:
No one should ever face prosecution for ending their own pregnancy, but that is exactly what is happening in this country.
I'm therefore pleased that an amendment to stop this has passed in Parliament.
This is a vital step forward for women’s rights and reproductive justice.
Nadia Whittome, June 17, 2025
Annunziata Rees-Mogg posted to X and said "Infanticide should never be legal".
I will be looking at who was in which lobby.
Infanticide should never be legal.
Labour has betrayed all mothers and babies.
Annunziata Rees-Mogg, June 17, 2025
