Advertising abortion

Channel 4 is carrying advertisements for Marie Stopes - the first ever advertisements on British television promoting abortion services. The campaign aims to 'empower women to reach confident, informed decisions about their sexual health'.

How informed?

It will not be a balanced and fair appraisal of both sides.

It features a number of women of different ages from varying walks of life who might be 'late'. The disembodied angelic voice informs the women that being late for a period could mean pregnancy. And the compassionate counsellor reassures: "If you're pregnant and not sure what to do Marie Stopes International can help."

What kind of help?

It will not be neutral, for Maries Stopes has a business to run.

But Cranmer is a little perplexed.

If abortion advertisements are now permitted in the UK (actually, just Great Britain, for in Northernm Ireland abortion remains illegal), why is the 'Pro-Life' movement not permitted to advertise to 'empower women to reach confident, informed decisions about their physical and spiritual health'?

Why on earth should this tasteful video be censored from the national airwaves?



Perhaps consideration might be given to broadcasting the really gruesome truth after the watershed.