Two Shropshire MPs vote against national legislation on buffer zones for abortion clinics
Two Shropshire MPs were among those who voted against proposals to enforce buffer zones around abortion clinics in England and Wales.
MP for Shrewsbury & Atcham Daniel Kawczynski and MP Mark Pritchard for The Wrekin were among those who voted against the proposed law.
Under this proposed law, harassing, obstructing or interfering with an individual trying to attend an abortion clinic would become a criminal offence.
And anyone found guilty of breaching the 150 metre buffer zone around the clinic could face up to to six months in prison.
At a Parliamentary vote which was held at 5pm on October 18, the majority of MPs backed the amendment to the Public Order Bill, with 297 for and 110 against.
While North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan voted for the bill, MP Daniel Kawczysnki and MP Mark Pritchard were among those who voted against. No vote was recorded for Telford MP Lucy Allen and South Shropshire MP Philip Dunne.
One of MP Kawczynski's constituents, Victoria Gurney from Shrewsbury, said that she was 'disheartened' by the actions of her MP.
"I am definitely disheartened. Even if you are against what the clinics do, you shouldn't be against the protection of the people that use them, so I don't know why he would want to be against the people who use them."
It comes at an uncertain time for abortion rights – with the overturning of Roe v.Wade by the U.S Supreme Court in June of this year – putting the reproductive rights of individuals in the US in the hands of each state.
"It just makes me not want to vote him in and he doesn't have a clue of what the people in his area want," Victoria added.
The Public Order Bill must still go through several stages, including scrutiny by The House of Lords.
The county's MPs are being contacted to comment.
To view the votes in Parliament visit votes.parliament.uk
