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US election: what does it mean for abortion rights in the UK?

Advocacy  •  17 January 2025  • 7 min read

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Whenever reproductive rights are attacked in the United States, it has a knock-on impact around the world. Could Trump’s presidency affect reproductive rights the UK? In this blog, UK Head of External Affairs Louise McCudden explores the domestic implications of a Trump presidency. 

In the UK, hundreds of thousands of people access safe, regulated abortion care via the NHS. 90% of people are pro-choice. So are most MPs. In recent years, with our pro-choice allies, we have successfully advocated for both Safe Access Zones and telemedicine to become law – and we have beaten back various attempts to roll back rights from backbench MPs and Lords.

Unlike in the US, where unelected but highly politicised courts make rulings that determine reproductive rights for the rest of the country, our abortion laws sit firmly with elected MPs. With one in three women having an abortion at some point in her life, and most people supporting the right to do so, it is unlikely that elected MPs would risk removing access to a healthcare service that so many of their constituents need.

Emboldened anti-rights movement

But we cannot afford to be complacent. A small but vocal minority refuses to accept that reproductive choice is a fundamental right. Anti-choice groups around the world have been emboldened by Trump’s election win, just as they were by the reversal of Roe v Wade in the US. UK-based groups are no exception. We know the anti-rights movement is increasing its UK spend and ramping up its tactics. In recent months we’ve seen UK-based politicians attempting to stir up discord around abortion. Whether their goal is to undermine the democratic pro-choice consensus or to ingratiate themselves with the populist right in the US, we will not let them use women’s bodies in this way.

Abortion stigma and misinformation

Support from pro-choice parliamentarians is critical but it is not enough. Regressive laws aren’t the only way that reproductive rights can be undermined. With Safe Access Zones now enforced, anti-choice groups can no longer legally gather on the doorsteps of abortion clinics to harass women. However, so-called Crisis Pregnancy Centres remain unregulated, while online misinformation and harassment continues to rise. That’s why we’ve encouraged Google to label search results clearly, so people can see whether an organisation provides abortion care or not. But the problems go beyond people finding the services they need. There is a broader impact on abortion discourse itself.

Since Twitter was rebranded as X and its moderation policies were altered, we have seen a steady escalation (in both volume and tone) of anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ+, and anti-gender equality content and comments. As a global reproductive healthcare provider, often advocating for reform within very restrictive national contexts, we expect robust disagreement, but not false claims. The impact this content can have on people seeking reproductive healthcare, some of whom are already facing extremely challenging circumstances, can be significant.

Stigma and harassment do not stop anyone needing or choosing an abortion. But they can make people feel less comfortable asking for support or sharing their experiences. Increasingly, people use the internet to seek out health information and advice, especially people who are under 25. With social media owners failing to moderate, and in some cases, actively boosting, content from anti-rights actors, people are left with the distorted impression that they are judged for needing or choosing an abortion, when in fact, most people in the UK completely support their right to do so.

Dangers of an anti-choice culture and our outdated abortion laws

Online hate and false information can have real consequences beyond adding to abortion stigma. Although the Abortion Act 1967 makes abortion legal as long as certain criteria are met, if anyone in Britain has an abortion outside those terms, they can be prosecuted under sections 58, 59, and 60 of the Offences Against the Persons Act 1967 and/or the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929. The maximum penalty is life in prison. (In Northern Ireland, abortion was decriminalised in 2019 following a vote by Westminster MPs, but those MPs have not yet done the same for England and Wales.)

These laws are still on our statute books today and in recent years, we have seen an increasing number of women investigated, prosecuted, and in one instance, even jailed. As the climate around abortion becomes more hostile, these outdated Victorian laws can be used to investigate anyone suspected of ending their own pregnancies outside the terms of the Abortion Act 1967. These laws have already been used to investigate women in recent years including some domestic abuse survivors, some who may have been trafficked, and some who had experienced a miscarriage or a stillbirth.

Abortion is legally available across the UK: find a provider you can trust

Abortion is available in all four nations of the UK, funded through the NHS. That is not going to change. Almost everyone who needs or chooses abortion will meet at least one of the legal criteria set out in the Abortion Act 1967 and will be able to access abortion without fear of repercussions. But there is a small number of people who may find themselves investigated under these laws, usually due to extremely challenging circumstances. Common factors in the stories we hear include gender-based violence and abuse, mental health complexities, homelessness, and simply not knowing the details of our intricate, complicated abortion laws. It’s critical that people in difficult circumstances are able to speak openly and ask for help when they need it without fear of prosecution and prison.

2025 and beyond for abortion in the UK

With Donald Trump back in the White House and the global anti-rights movement attempting to undo decades of social progress, it could not be more important for the UK government and politicians across all four nations to stand up for gender equality. Abortion access in the UK is fairly secure, but we can’t afford to be complacent. Our leaders have a role to play not only in legislating, but in setting the tone of debate and the culture that shapes our society. In our 2024 election manifesto, we encouraged all political candidates to base their arguments on facts and reject misinformation whenever they encounter it. As we begin 2025 and look ahead to the future months and years, we call again on all policymakers and media commentators, regardless of their political views, to make that same commitment to accuracy, truth, and democracy.

What can you do to support global abortion access?

  • Follow MSI Reproductive Choices UK on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Bluesky to stay up-to-date with UK abortion rights and our NHS-funded services
  • Follow MSI Reproductive Choices on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Bluesky and share our posts to raise awareness of the global impact of the US election
  • Donate to MSI’s global fight for abortion rights and access
  • Sign up to MSI’s Choose Choice newsletter to stay up-to-date with abortion rights around the world

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