Govt urges GSD to cooperate on draft abortion Bill

The Gibraltar Government has asked the GSD to co-operate on the draft Bill for changes to the law on abortion by responding to its Command Paper consultation.

This comes after the GSD issued a policy statement on the subject explaining that it would not back the government’s draft legislation on abortion because it was “politically dishonest”.

There followed a series of barbed exchanges between the two as each accused the other of misrepresenting core positions in this delicate, sensitive debate.

Yesterday, in a statement, the Government said it had noted that the GSD had reached a “pro-abortion” consensus, but that it would only do so in the context of a new law that does not exceed the requirements of the recent decision of the United Kingdom Supreme Court Act.

“We therefore ask the GSD to cooperate with the Government by responding, and to respond, to the Command Paper consultation with a draft of such a law,” No.6 Convent Place said.

“The one thing that we consult on in the Command Paper that goes further in our draft relates to instances of abortions in cases of non-fatal serious disabilities.”

The Government claimed that the GSD had enabled these types of abortions via the GHA when it was in office.

“The Government asks the GSD why it considers that was right for Keith Azopardi and all its other Ministers for Health to approve, support and fund such abortions, but now it suggests it won't support a law that provides for it,” No.6 said.

The Government said it is prepared to listen to views of the GSD and the whole of the community on all aspects of the law.

It added: “We want to see the GSD respond with details of the changes to the law that the pro-abortion GSD would support, as it may be possible to find a consensus of the whole House on this sensitive subject.”

Throughout its statement the Government referred to the GSD as the “pro-abortion GSD”.