A Conservative MP who supported debate on reducing the 24-week abortion time limit and opposed buffer zones outside clinics, has been appointed the UK’s new Minister for Women.
Maria Caulfield was appointed to the role by new UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, drawing criticism from women’s rights groups and reproductive healthcare charities.
Caulfield was previously a vice chair of an all-party parliamentary “pro-life” group and just last month voted against the creation of buffer zones to prevent harassment outside abortion clinics. In 2019, she voted against legalising abortion in Northern Ireland.
Labour’s Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary, Anneliese Dodds, said Caulfield’s appointment as Minister for Women was “deeply troubling”.
“Deeply troubling that Rishi Sunak has appointed a Minister for Women who supports limiting women’s rights to abortion,” she said.
“The government must be clear that a woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion is not under threat.”
The British Pregnancy Advice Service (BPAS) said it was “appalled” the Prime Minister had decided to appoint Caulfield, “who has consistently voted to restrict women’s rights”.
“Earlier this month, Maria Caulfield MP voted against measures to protect women seeking reproductive healthcare from harassment and intimidation at the hands of anti-abortion protesters,” BPAS wrote on Twitter.
“Our new Minister for Women also voted consistently to deny women in Northern Ireland access safe, legal abortion care in their own country.
“Maria Caulfield has also led the parliamentary opposition to attempts to protect women and decriminalise abortion, and has defended the current law which threatens any woman who ends her own pregnancy without the approval of 2 doctors with life imprisonment.
“This is not an abstract issue. In England, two women, who endured years of police investigations, are being dragged before the courts for seeking to end a pregnancy.”
The BPAS said Caulfield’s views are “out of step” with members of the public and her own party.
“Recent amendments to establish buffer zones around clinics and secure at-home early abortion care have passed despite the opposition of MPs including Maria Caulfield,” the organisation said.
“It is profoundly disappointing that the PM did not think that a better choice for Minister for Women would be an MP willing to speak up for the one in three women who will have an abortion.”