In a historic victory for women’s rights, Cosmopolitan UK celebrates the success of its End 1861 campaign, in partnership with the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), following the UK Parliament’s vote to remove abortion from the criminal law in England and Wales. This marks the most significant change to abortion legislation since the Abortion Act in 1967.
Earlier this week, MPs voted in favor of amendment NC1 to the Crime and Policing Bill, tabled by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi. The amendment removes the threat of prosecution for individuals who end their own pregnancies — ending the use of the 1861 Offenses Against the Person Act to criminalize abortion. It now proceeds to the House of Lords.
The campaign was met with overwhelming public support: over 30,000 people engaged on social media, thousands wrote to their MPs, and 50 advocates lobbied MPs in Parliament. Cosmopolitan UK and BPAS rallied public voices to stand louder than anti-choice rhetoric, ensuring national attention at a crucial moment.
Claire Hodgson, Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan UK, stated:
“Cosmopolitan has been campaigning for women’s rights, particularly our reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, since its launch 60 years ago. Like any physical or mental healthcare concern, appropriate processes and guidelines should absolutely be in place. We’re not suggesting the deregulation of abortion, or that the time limit is changed. But it is our firm belief, along with this wider coalition of charities and medical professionals, that abortion is just that – healthcare. It is not a crime.”
The urgency was clear. In the past three years alone, six women have faced court for ending their pregnancies. Police have also requested nearly 100 women’s medical records to investigate alleged abortion offenses — including domestic abuse survivors, trafficking victims, minors, and women who experienced unexpected pregnancy loss.
The amendment will not change the 24-week time limit or existing medical regulations. It simply ensures that those who end their pregnancies are treated with dignity, not suspicion.
Heidi Stewart, Chief Executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, BPAS, said:
“We are proud to stand together with Cosmopolitan at this historic moment for women’s rights. This is our chance to make our voices heard, to bring our Victorian abortion law in to the twenty-first century, and to protect women and girls from the threat of police and prosecution. We urge everyone who supports a woman’s right to choose to contact their MP and join this vital campaign.”
Cosmopolitan UK and BPAS thank the 50+ healthcare and women’s rights organisations who supported the campaign, including the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the British Medical Association, MSI Reproductive Choices, and Liberty, as well as public figures like Gina Martin, Payzee Mahmod, Sharon Gaffka, and Nadia Whittome MP, who helped amplify the message.
Special thanks go to Tonia Antoniazzi MP for her leadership in Parliament. As amendment NC1 moves to the House of Lords, this campaign marks a turning point — one that affirms a simple truth: abortion is no longer a crime, but a matter of healthcare and human rights.
