SW News: Catholic bishops of England and Wales have hailed the withdrawal of a controversial amendment that would have allowed abortion on demand without any curbs. Tabled to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill by lawmaker Diana Johnson, the amendment was supposed to be discussed in Parliament on July 5.

Bishop John Sherrington, the Lead Bishop for Life Issues at the episcopal conference of England and Wales, thanked all citizens who put pressure on their lawmakers and helped to prevent the amendments to the legislation from being moved forward.

“I welcome the fact that the radical amendment (New Clause 55), which was well outside the scope of the bill, was withdrawn”, the prelate added. “It would have swept away the few protections remaining for the unborn child and enabled abortion on demand as well as removing the possibility of the doctors’ conscientious objection”, the bishop said.

The appeal of bishops and pro-life organizations to citizens to write to their parliamentarians requesting them to vote against the amendment was met with an overwhelming response.

Bishop Sherrington also urged everyone to be “vigilant to attempts to widen access abortion by hijacking other bills.” The prelate also welcomed the withdrawal of yet another amendment-New Clause 42, which would have made demonstrations outside abortion clinics an offence punishable with jail sentences.