British Lawmakers Vote to Decriminalise Abortion at Any Point Until Birth

Women faced possible life imprisonment if they decided to end a pregnancy after 24 weeks under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act. 

Supporters of The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children demonstrate against the proposed decriminalisation of abortion, outside the Houses of Parliament in London on June 17, 2025. Leon Neal/Getty Images

British lawmakers on June 17 voted in favor of an amendment that would decriminalise abortion in England and Wales and remove criminal penalties for women who end their pregnancies at any stage and for any reason.

Women in England and Wales face criminal charges and police investigations if they end a pregnancy after 24 weeks under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, a Victorian-era law that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.