Commenting on today’s parliamentary debate, a spokesperson for Right to Know said:

“We are pleased that the campaign has opened up the debate on the quality of care and support offered to women considering abortion and are delighted that that debate is now set to continue. There is widespread public support for the principle of independent counselling so we welcome the announcement of a full consultation on this matter. We look forward to continuing to work with government to secure proper investigation of all the relevant issues and to ensuring that women considering abortion are provided with the opportunity to access the information, advice and counselling that they deserve.”

The Nadine Dorries/Frank Field amendment on abortion and counselling will be considered in the Commons this evening. As Graeme Archer argued in the Daily Telegraph last weekend, there is no such thing as an independent person, in the sense of someone without prejudices, instincts, opinions and - in whatever manner - a worldview. This truth applies to relatively unvexed issues as much as unyieldingly contested ones as abortion. It may therefore be that the amendment, which in part seeks unbiased viewpoints on abortion, is questionable for this reason, and that MPs will therefore be tempted vote them down. They may go into the No lobby for other reasons, too. Field is unpopular with many Labour MPs, and Dorries so with a lot of Conservative ones. Some feel, unfairly, that she is a publicity-crazed opportunist who won’t or can’t work with other people. Others will be nervous of crossing the abortion providers and lobby groups that oppose the amendment. More still will think it prudent to follow David Cameron’s apparent about-turn. It’s not uncommon for a Minister to write with guidance to MPs before a free vote, as Ann Milton has done - but less usual for the Whips to make the most of such letters, which it’s claimed they’re doing.

But before MPs make up their minds, they may want to ask a question.

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