Latest news with #Suffragettes
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Granddaughter of leading Suffragette speaks about issues facing women in Bolton
The granddaughter of a leading Suffragette spoke about the issues that women in Bolton face. The Suffragettes fought hard for women's rights in the early 20th century, paving the way for women's right to vote. Over 100 years on from that movement, women are still fighting for parity on a number of issues. GM4Women2028 is at the forefront of that battle, led by none other than Professor Helen Pankhurst, granddaughter of famous Suffragette, Sylvia. The event came to Bolton on Saturday, July 12, being held at Imagination Street at Nortex Mill on Chorley Old Road. Attendees at the event (Image: Newsquest) Running from 10.30am to 4pm, the free event featured discussions, breakout sessions, performances, and networking focused on turning data insights into real-world action. Professor Pankhurst said: "It was set up in 2018, concentrating on the 10 years up to 2028, looking at the reality of women and girls' lives in Greater Manchester. "We network, look at data and push for policy change. We are going around all of the boroughs, and today is Bolton's turn. "We have discussed the reality of women's lives, we had a session about democracy with an MP and two councillors, and we spoke about perspective. "Other issues we have spoken about include domestic violence, safety, women's experiences in prisons, as well as sessions on women's health and on the workplace." Read more: Descendent of Suffragettes to be in Bolton for day of action on women's equality Read more: The family fun events taking place to celebrate the end of the school year She added: "I think all the issues are relevant to Bolton. One example is Fortalice, which has been working with police when making visits to women who have suffered domestic violence. "It is so impressive, and the reality is, someone who has suffered domestic violence who has the police knocking on their door is less likely to feel supported than somebody who has had someone from Fortalice alongside the police. Posing for a picture (Image: Newsquest) "It is leading the country as a case study of how to do this." To learn more about GM4Women, visit their website: MP Kirith Entwistle for Bolton North East attended the event. She said: "It has been hugely inspiring. It is always nice for me to come to these events and find out more about the great community work that is happening on the ground. "It is hugely important, at a time where women's rights are being eroded across the world, with the likes of Trump in power, standing up and representing women is hugely important. The event (Image: Newsquest) "We have still got a long, long way to go to make progress but we still have to keep going." Local homeless charity Backup North West were the sponsors of the event. CEO of Backup, Maura Jackson, said: "It helps the conversation. Instead of saying 'no, we have tried that before', people really want to do something and make a difference. "It is a such a massive range of people here from different businesses and backgrounds. I feel really hopeful."
Times
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Palestine Action claims ban is ‘authoritarian abuse' of power
Palestine Action has labelled the government 'authoritarian' and compared its activists to the Suffragettes as part of an 11th hour bid to avoid being banned as a terrorist organisation. The group's founder, Huda Ammori, has asked the High Court to temporarily block the government from proscribing it under the Terrorism Act. The ban is set to become law at midnight on Saturday after being approved by the House of Commons and the House of Lords. If it goes ahead, membership and support for Palestine Action would become a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. 'This is the first time in our history that a direct action civil disobedience group, which does not advocate for violence, has been sought to be proscribed as terrorists,' Raza Husain KC, representing Ammori, said. Husain said his client 'was inspired by the long tradition of direct action in this country', including the Suffragettes and movements against apartheid and the Iraq War, and wished to take action 'to prevent harm before it happens'. Quoting Ammori, the barrister continued that the group had 'never encouraged harm to any person at all' and that its goal 'is to put ourselves in the way of the military machine perpetrating genocide'. • Revealed: Palestine Action's map of UK targets Addressing Mr Justice Chamberlain, Husain said: 'We ask you, in the first instance, to suspend until July 21 what we say is an ill-considered, discriminatory and authoritarian abuse of statutory power which is alien to the basic tradition of the common law and is contrary to the Human Rights Act.' The Home Office is opposing both the bid to delay the ban from becoming law, and the potential attempt to launch a legal challenge against the decision. There was a heavy police presence with dozens of officers and several police vans in the street outside the Royal Courts of Justice as several hundred protesters gathered. The group's supporters waved Palestinian flags and held placards as organisers beat drums and chanted slogans. • Chants of 'death to the IDF' as Palestine Action members face court Protesters, ranging from children to the elderly, described the bans as 'erasing resistance' and an 'outrageous' attack on a democratic right to protest. Many protesters said they will still support the cause, even if the proscription comes into force. A minor scuffle unfolded mid-morning after a counterprotester from Our Fight UK, a pro-Israeli group, was removed. No arrests were made as the two protesters were moved away from the Palestine Action protest. Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, moved to proscribe the group after activists caused an alleged £7 million worth of damage to two Voyager planes at RAF Brize Norton on June 20. The group has also repeatedly targeted the Elbit Systems UK, which it says makes military hardware for the Israel Defence Forces. In the hearing, Palestine Action argued that the criminal damage it has meted out to its targets does not constitute terrorism, although it conceded its activists caused 'serious damage to property', as defined in the Terrorism Act 2000. Palestine Action said that the government's use of its statutory power needs to be balanced against the group's human rights, including freedom of expression and the right to peaceful association. Chamberlain suggested an assessment on whether to ban Palestine Action under terrorist laws had been made as early as March, and 'preceded' the incident at RAF Brize Norton. Husain replied: 'Yes they did, and that is very relevant to today because it is very relevant to timing.'
The Guardian
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Friday briefing: The court case trying to stop Palestine Action being designated a terrorist group
Good morning. On Wednesday, MPs including home secretary Yvette Cooper wore sashes to celebrate the legacy of the Suffragettes, whose methods included arson attacks, non-lethal bombings, and disabling railway lines. Then many of them voted to make wearing a Palestine Action t-shirt punishable by up to six months in prison, and membership of the group liable for a sentence of up to 14 years. The legislation is the result of Cooper's decision to proscribe Palestine Action. Today, the high court will hear a case brought by co-founder Huda Ammori asking for a temporary block on the order. If it fails, a group which pursues disruptive direct action aimed at buildings, equipment, and institutions rather than violence will be designated a terrorist entity for the first time. Cooper says that Palestine Action must be banned because it attacks the UK's defence industry, which is 'vital to the nation's national security'. For today's newsletter, I spoke to Martha Spurrier, a human rights barrister and former director of Liberty, about a new frontier in the UK's view of the line between disruptive protest and menacing force. This is my last newsletter for a while – I'm going on paternity leave, ahead of the imminent arrival of our, er, second edition. Aamna will be with you from Monday, and I'll be back in the autumn. Here are the headlines. UK politics | The MP Zarah Sultana, who was suspended from Labour last year, has said she will 'co-lead the founding of a new party' with Jeremy Corbyn. But Corbyn, who has not yet publicly committed to establishing a formal party, is understood to be frustrated at Sultana's unilateral announcement and reluctant to take on the title of leader. Diogo Jota | Jürgen Klopp and Cristiano Ronaldo led the tributes from across the football world to Diogo Jota after the 28-year-old Liverpool and Portugal forward was killed in a car accident in Spain. Jota's brother, André, also died in the crash in the province of Zamora. Middle East | Israel has escalated its offensive in Gaza before imminent talks about a ceasefire, with warships and artillery launching one of the deadliest and most intense bombardments in the devastated Palestinian territory for many months. In all, about 300 people may have been killed this week and thousands more injured, officials said. US politics | The US House of Representatives narrowly passed Donald Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill on Thursday. The 'big beautiful bill' makes sweeping cuts to safety net programs but adds trillions to the national debt through major tax cuts and spending increases on immigration enforcement and the military. UK politics | Rachel Reeves said she is 'cracking on with the job' of chancellor after her she was seen visibly distressed in the Commons on Wednesday. Speaking after a public show of unity alongside Keir Starmer at the launch of the NHS 10-year plan, she said she had been upset over a 'personal issue'. Yvette Cooper announced the decision to proscribe Palestine Action a few days after activists from the group broke into RAF Brize Norton and spray painted two military planes red. The home secretary called that incident 'disgraceful', and said it was part of a 'long history' of criminal damage that has 'increased in frequency and severity'. She said that the attacks had done millions of pounds worth of damage and sparked panic among bystanders, who had been 'subjected to violence'. But she did not suggest that Palestine Action is a group devoted to violence as the mechanism for securing its political aims, because it isn't. The proscription order was voted through parliament this week – but doesn't come into force until Saturday. Here's what you need to know. What's at stake in today's hearing? At the high court today, Huda Ammori will seek an interim order from the judge on the case, Martin Chamberlain, preventing Cooper's decision from taking effect until a court makes a decision on a judicial review. It is not a full examination of the substantive issues raised by the case, Martha Spurrier said. 'It will probably be focused on questions of process: does the complainant understand why the order was made? Has she been given the underlying evidence and the reasons? Has the process been fair, and have the right people been consulted? 'Part of it will be about creating the legal mood music for the judge,' she added. 'This has all happened very fast, and the level of the debate has not really been proportionate to the seriousness and novelty of the change, and so they will hope that the judge will find it more attractive to press pause and ventilate the issues thoroughly in court in a few weeks time.' The government, for its part, is likely to argue that the threat posed by Palestine Action is so serious and immediate that the UK's national security requires an instant response. If they succeed, the order will take effect on Saturday and place Palestine Action alongside the likes of Islamic State, al-Qaida, and the neo-Nazi group National Action. Here are some of the consequences. (For more detail, see Netpol's useful breakdown.) Membership or encouraging others to support the group will become a criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Informal expressions of support, including through clothes and banners, will become a criminal offence that could attract a six-month prison sentence. (None of this would apply retrospectively, and challenging or protesting the ban itself would still be allowed.) Organising or attending meetings of as few as three people would be banned along with fundraising or providing logistical support. Payment platforms would face investigation if they facilitated donations. Intelligence services and police would not be granted new powers of surveillance and infiltration directly, but proscription would likely increase resources flowing to monitoring suspected members of the group and might strengthen the case for warrants. Can the proscripton order still be overturned if the government wins today? If the government prevails, that is not the end of the story – but the route to overturning the ban becomes significantly harder. 'The minute the order is effective it is strengthened by being the status quo,' Spurrier said. 'The deference shown to the government on national security issues is enormous.' Should the case enter the appeals process, the first route is to the home secretary, whose view seems fairly predictable. After that it enters the legal system – but rather than being heard in open court, the case might end up in closed hearings, where Palestine Action would be represented by special advocates under severe limits on what they can share with their clients. For that to happen, the government would have to demonstrate that it has evidence which presents a national security risk to share publicly. If they succeed, the challenge for Palestine Action becomes incredibly steep, because they will only hear the parts of the case against them that have been agreed by the court not to present a national security risk. 'You can't answer the specific allegations, whether by saying I wasn't there on that date, or if you think our modus operandi is X or Y I can prove that it's not,' Spurrier said. 'It's the special advocate's job to make the strongest case they can in the absence of their client being able to give them instructions – but fundamentally they are working with both hands tied behind their back.' Is this a new frontier in the definition of terrorism? In the 1990s, Greenpeace was involved in a number of radical direct actions, like occupying the Brent Spar oil platform so it couldn't be disposed of in the sea, and destroying a field of genetically-modified maize. When the terrorism bill under which the Palestine Action decision has been made was going through parliament in 1999, Jack Straw, the home secretary at the time, dealt with the question of whether Greenpeace could be caught in the definition. 'I make it clear that the new definition will not catch the vast majority of so-called domestic activist groups,' Straw said. 'To respond to a recent example, I know of no evidence whatever that Greenpeace is involved in any activity that would fall remotely under the scope of this measure.' 'I don't think there's any evidence that parliament's intention was that groups like this would be caught by the definition of the terrorism act,' Spurrier said. 'This is the first time where the primary accusation is of property damage and not harm to people.' That obviously opens the way to wider applications in an era where direct action – often over the climate crisis – has become a major political issue, she added. 'It's really unclear to me what the principled distinction would be if Just Stop Oil began another wave of damage to property. There would surely be at the very least a political conversation about whether they should be proscribed.' Crucially, there are already plenty of laws in place for which members of groups like Palestine Action can be prosecuted for criminal damage – and which do not involve imposing the draconian restrictions of proscription. That is part of a wider political shift in the definition of acceptable protest, Spurrier said. 'I remember giving evidence to MPs about this a few years ago – and it was so noticeable that the fault line, which had always been peaceful or not peaceful, had moved – and suddenly it was disruptive or not disruptive. I had MPs saying to me that if it got in the way of the school run surely it should be banned. So there has been a paradigm shift.' What will it mean in practice? If the ban goes ahead, 'I don't expect you'll see white grannies being carted away for carrying a Palestine Action sign,' Spurrier said. 'They will be astute in who they arrest and who they prosecute. But you will see communities of colour bearing the brunt of it in the way they always do. And there will be a chilling effect – people who can't afford to be arrested because they will lose their job or they are just frightened by the prospect, simply won't show up.' There are reasons to worry about the broader consequences, including how the ban might interact with a bill going through parliament seeking to criminalise face coverings at protests and expanding the use of facial recognition. It might also lead to children being referred to the authorities under the Prevent scheme if they tell a teacher that their parents support the group, Spurrier said. 'There are so many pieces of architecture that can sweep people up for things that aren't criminal acts but speak to some kind of intention – and then you're in the dragnet.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion With all that in mind, it may seem extraordinary that the legislation passed the House of Commons this week by 385 votes to 26. 'I was really disappointed,' Spurrier said. 'But, whether you're talking about protest or asylum or criminal justice, the prevailing view is that a hardened anti-rights, anti-rule of law stance is almost a centrist position. So I was surprised that the numbers were quite so low. But I was never under the illusion that it would meet with serious resistance.' Holloman Lake, a 1965 wastewater pond in New Mexico, was a wildlife oasis until researchers tested strange shoreline foam and uncovered the devastating impact of forever chemicals on the ecosystem. Aamna A year after winning the election, Labour is at a low ebb, Polly Toynbee writes. It is time to be honest about the need for significant tax rises, she says – and to 'remind citizens that their taxes go to things everyone values most'. Archie A jury has acquitted Sean 'Diddy' Combs of sex trafficking, convicting him only of transporting male prostitutes. The case hinged on consent: the women said no; he said yes. The jury sided with him, cementing what feminist Moira Donegan calls the #MeToo backlash era. Aamna Ahead of the first date of the Oasis reunion tour tonight, I enjoyed Simon Armitage's tribute: as they return to the stage, 'fans will be back on each other's shoulders or arm in arm, singing gnomic phrases and occasional nonsense, united by some irresistible bond.' Archie To save time, people brush their teeth in the shower or wear slip-on shoes. Are these 'life hacks' clever conveniences, or a depressing sign of how overstretched, overworked and overwhelmed we've all become? Aamna Football | 'It is impossible not to feel a deep sense of pain, sadness and shared heartbreak at news of the sudden death of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva,' Barney Ronay writes. He was 'the kind of footballer who barely seems to leave a dent in the grass, who, for all the tactical match-smarts seems still to be playing the same endless teenage game.' Tennis | The British No 1 Jack Draper was taught a grand slam lesson by the veteran Marin Cilic, losing 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 4-6 in the second round at Wimbledon. Iga Świątek went about her business almost unnoticed as she defeated Caty McNally 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 to reach the third round. Football | It took under 90 seconds for Esther González to score the first goal for Spain against Portugal in the Women's Euros, and then they came quickly, finishing up at 5-0. Italy defeated Belgium 1-0 with Arianna Caruso's stunning, curling first-half goal. The Guardian splashes on 'Hundreds killed as Israel steps up Gaza strikes despite ceasefire hope.' The Times leads with 'NHS app to give patients a 'doctor in your pocket',' while the Mail has 'The doctor in your pocket will see you now.' The FT leads on 'Big asset managers piled in to gilts as markets dipped during Reeves crisis,' the i Paper has 'Pensions face tax hike to pay for Labour welfare U-turn,' and the Telegraph goes with 'Corbyn's hard-left challenge to Starmer.' Pictures of Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash in Spain, feature on many front pages. The Mirror splashes on 'Liverpool star tragedy: Devastating,' for the Sun, it's 'Football has lost a champion,' and the Express leads with ''Our hearts are broken' …fans in shock over death of Kop star.' Our critics' roundup of the best things to watch, read, play and listen to right now TVGaza: Doctors Under Attack | ★★★★★ Several powerful documentaries have emerged on Palestine this year, but this is the most unflinching. Its central thesis: the IDF systematically targets medics in all 36 of Gaza's hospitals. The pattern they lay out is chilling: first bombardment, then siege, followed by raids with tanks and bulldozers. Medical staff are detained, hospitals destroyed and the forces move on. The aim appears to be long-term devastation and ensuring Palestinians have nothing to return to. The documentary's slow, methodical unfurling of this thesis is the stuff of nightmares. Stuart Heritage Film Heads of State | ★★★★☆ Idris Elba and John Cena return in this gun show from Nobody director Ilya Naishuller, playing a UK prime minister and US president at odds. After a joint press conference goes sideways and derails a Nato-backed energy deal, the two are forced to fly together to repair the damage, only for their Air Force One trip to end in a fiery crash. Elba deftly toggles between Odd Couple chemistry with Cena and romantic tension with Priyanka Chopra. Naishuller delivers action with pratfalls and one-liners. This is the perfect summer movie – fun, fiery, and totally frivolous. Andrew Lawrence Music . (Period): Kesha | ★★★★☆Kesha's sixth album marks a fresh start, bringing back the artist who once brushed her teeth with Jack Daniel's and danced with giant penises on stage. Only the piano ballad Cathedral feels fully rooted in her recent legal battles. This is clearly an album designed to put Kesha back at the centre of pop. The songs are strong, full of smart twists, drops, and funny, self-referential lines: 'You're on TikTok / I'm the fucking OG.' The army of collaborators, from Jonathan Wilson to Madison Love, rally behind her. Kesha plays the part of Kesha 1.0 to perfection. For all the lyrical excess, nothing feels forced. Why would it? She's simply reclaiming the role she created. Alexis Petridis Guilty … and not guilty: understanding the Sean 'Diddy' Combs verdict – podcast The rapper faced charges often levied at mafia bosses. Anna Betts explains what the jury heard, and Andrew Lawrence tells Nosheen Iqbal what the verdict means for the music mogul A bit of good news to remind you that the world's not all bad Spain's women's football team has battled systemic misogyny and poor treatment for years, culminating in a World Cup win in 2023 overshadowed by an unwanted kiss from football chief Luis Rubiales. The incident ignited global outrage and amplified calls for equality. The outcome of the scandal was that it sparked wider social debate in Spain about gender and power, and ultimately gave young women the voice they needed. The players now say that this turning point has led to a positive change. Player Aitana Bonmatí says, 'It was tough to play here; the situation wasn't good … Now everything is better.' And finally, the Guardian's puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword Wordiply
The National
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
MPs' 'hypocrisy' blasted as Suffragettes celebrated while Palestine Action banned
Female MPs posed for a photograph in Westminster Hall on Wednesday bearing sashes with the colours of the Women's Social and Political Union, a group which used militant tactics including bombing Westminster Abbey in their quest to win votes for women. The photograph featured top politicians including Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Deputy Speaker Caroline Noakes, and Home Office Minister Angela Eagle. It came on the same day that Palestine Action was proscribed under the Terrorism Act for their campaign to put pressure on the UK Government and private companies for complicity in Israel's genocide in Gaza. Independent MP Zarah Sultana (below), currently suspended from Labour, posted the picture to social media, saying it was 'Parliament in a nutshell'. (Image: PA) She added: 'Yesterday MPs, including Yvette Cooper, celebrated the suffragette legacy of civil disobedience that won women the right to vote. Only to then vote to designate non-violent direct action group Palestine Action as terrorists. "Westminster is broken.' MPs voted to ban Palestine Action by 385 votes to 26, with the Greens, Independent Alliance MPs, and nine Labour MPs voting against. The SNP and the LibDems abstained. READ MORE: Rachel Reeves breaks silence on tears in the House of Commons It means that it will become a criminal offence to express support for or be a member of Palestine Action, carrying a prison sentence of up to 14 years in jail. Wearing clothing which expresses support of the group, such as T-shirts with the group's branding, can result in a six-month prison sentence and/or a fine of up to £5000. Others called out MPs for expressing their support for the Suffragettes, who were persecuted in their own time for their campaign to win votes for women. Green co-leader Carla Denyer (above) said: 'Today women MPs wore Suffragette sashes to celebrate Votes for Women – won by civil disobedience and celebrated in Parliament's gift shop. 'And yet now the government is asking us to vote to proscribe Palestine Action – a modern civil disobedience group – as terrorists.' Novara Media editor Aaron Bastani added: 'The Suffragettes literally blew up David Lloyd George's house, as it was under construction, in Surrey. 'The same politicians now celebrating that think you should get six months in prison for wearing a Palestine Action t-shirt.'
The Sun
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Lily Allen should be ashamed of her sick confession, her X-rated antics have nothing on this… yet I know who's to blame
SHE has confessed to having a Mile High romp with a married Liam Gallagher, sleeping with high-class female escorts, seeing her father take cocaine and headbutting Orlando Bloom at a Hollywood party. But Lily Allen's latest revelation is her most explosive, and to me, repulsive, yet. 5 5 The Smile hit maker giggled away as she admitted she's had five abortions. Yes - five. That number isn't a typo. And yet while her outburst was crass it's not Lily who is to blame for this wildly feckless attitude. Triggered is a word I loathe. But I have zero doubt that her blase brag will have been a knife in the heart to thousands of 'Childless Not By Choice' (CNBC) women - myself included. We're living in a world in which women like mother-of-two Allen - whose previous relationships include Chemical Brothers DJ Ed Simons, art dealer Jay Jopling and Stranger Things actor David Harbour - assume it's fine to boast - on a BBC podcast no less - about having multiple abortions, 'yeah I'd get pregnant all the time'. Listen, my motto in life is you do you. But we all have a dark side – psychiatrist Carl Jung called it the 'shadow' – that is honestly best left in the dark. Why oh why would an emotionally intelligent woman ever assume that such an abhorrent admission would ever be okay? When the likes of the Suffragettes were dying to give us the votes, when Gloria Steinem galvanised the feminist movement in the late 1960s was it really so a pop star could brainlessly joke about her irresponsible lifestyle? Women in my CNBC tribe - and there are more of us than you think - have spent years, not to mention thousands of pounds trying to end up with a baby. When we call time on our dream of motherhood, grief is a lifelong companion. 5 To dig the knife in further, Lily's 'Miss Me' co-host Miquita Oliver also said she's undergone five terminations, too. Recalling her first abortion, Oliver said: 'I was very excited! I felt like I was like a woman.' When Oliver, 41, confessed she didn't know if Allen had ever terminated a pregnancy, she began singing to the tune of Frank Sinatra's My Way: 'Abortions I've had a few... but then again... I can't remember exactly how many'. She continued: 'I can't remember. I think maybe like, I want to say four or five.' Oliver, who doesn't have children, responded: 'I've had about five too! Lily I've never… I'm so happy I can say that and you can say it and no one came to shoot us down, no judgement. We've had about the same amount of abortions.' I'm sorry, is this where we're at in 2025? Part of me feels desperately sorry for the pair of them. That neither of them can recognise that this isn't something cool to riff and praise each other on. But the other part of me wants to wring their bloody necks for such an utterly irresponsible approach to conception and pregnancy. Look, we don't live in the Victorian era. Sleep with whoever the heck you want, whenever the heck you want. Lily has admitted her sense of desire fluctuates - 'I go through horny and unhorny phases' - but contraception is available everywhere. Also, anyone with a brain knows how to keep track of their menstrual cycle. To be clear, I am not against abortion. I am pro-choice and firmly believe a woman's body is her own. I've been on the planet long enough to accompany girlfriends through such procedures. One friend terminated at eight weeks because she didn't want the 'inevitable gossiping' (her words) she thought she'd get walking down the aisle with a baby bump – no judgement from me. WHY WOULD PEOPLE GOSSIP? WAS SHE YOUNG? Another terminated her pregnancy on the advice of her doctors because the foetus was malformed. I had so much compassion for her. Then there are the dozens of friends who have agonised and wept over the decision because they weren't in the right relationship or it was a one-night stand. All reasons I support. But I'm also 54 and, over the decades, I have witnessed the emotional and psychological fallout when women have terminated a pregnancy. They remember the due date for years to come. So many wonder what their child would have looked like. We should never ever normalise abortion or trivialise this act. It disgusts me that these women are trying to frame multiple abortions in society as a lifestyle choice, something so casual and everyday that it's akin to popping out for a coffee. An abortion is not a rite of passage. It is often a medical procedure that comes with health risks, too. And let's not forget our current political climate. They are handing the bonkers, yet growing, alt-right political movement a gift with their selfishly brazen attitude towards potential life. And boy are they rubbing such a revelation into the faces of women like me who weren't able to have children. Look, I'm no angel. Most women I know have had sex and not used protection - myself included - it happens! But that's what the morning after pill is for. I used it once at 17, after that I went on the pill. That's what grown-ups do. Help and support with an abortion In the UK, several organisations offer abortion services and support. You can access free NHS-funded abortion care or choose private options. Accessing Abortion Services: NHS Services: Abortion services in the UK are free on the NHS. Self-Referral: You can contact abortion providers directly to book an appointment. Referral from Healthcare Professionals: Your GP or a sexual health clinic can also refer you to an abortion service. Private Clinics: You can also choose to have an abortion at a private clinic. Important Information: Confidentiality: Staff at abortion clinics will not share your information with anyone, including your GP, without your permission, unless they believe you or someone else is at risk of harm. Counselling: If you're finding the decision difficult, counselling services are available to help you explore your options and feelings. Aftercare: Support is available after an abortion, including counselling and information about aftercare. And throughout my 20s and 30s I continued to use the pill. Yes, I know it isn't a right fit for many women. Thankfully there are a dazzling array of other contraceptive options which shouldn't include an abortion. When I tried to become a mum I was stable, settled and married in my late 30s. After trying for two years, we then turned to the fertility industry. Two attempts at IVF didn't work. We were going to try a third time, but my husband's son died from skin cancer. The devastation put paid to any more attempts. So yes, I am writing this from the pain of that experience. Even though I closed the door on motherhood 11 years ago - the grief never entirely leaves you. I feel nothing but pity for both women brought up to assume that abortions are an acceptable lifestyle choice. Their mothers must be looking in the mirror and wondering where they went wrong. Because in this instance I actually blame their parents. We can all imagine how a conversation about birds and the bees would have gone with hell raiser and feckless father Keith Allen. And Oliver seems like a together woman – but honestly this is an epic failure on her part. Who knows what Lily Allen's daughters are thinking about their mother now. Of course they'll defend her. But that's not to say that school is going to be fun for a while. Yes I know the pair will honk on about men being responsible too. But that argument has nothing to do with these circs. If I was living in the UK and paying the license fee I'd be campaigning to get this podcast pulled off air. It has zero merit in a world where such views are so utterly and pointlessly cruel. All it has demonstrated is that two privileged, middle class, nepo baby women don't give a monkeys how their lifestyle choices and opinions land with others. I actually don't wish either women the global slagging they are inevitably going to get. But I'd put a very large bet on them both regretting this conversation in the future. And if they don't? Then they are even shallower and more unevolved than I thought they were.
