Nadine Dorries fumbles latest attack on abortions


by Sunny Hundal    
10:20 am - July 6th 2012

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Yesterday the Press Association reported on a story generated by the Tory MP Nadine Dorries.

It was titled: 400 abortions ‘without sign-offs’.

What’s amusing here is that Dorries got really excited after she got the response to her ministerial question and sent out the wrong information.

The story related to the revelation that in a tiny proportion of abortions last year (around 400), doctors did not submit the right information to the Chief Medical Officer.

Nadine Dorries thought this was a great coup! She sent out a quote to the Press Association:

This situation means that these abortions weren’t legal. There are reasons why two doctors’ signatures are needed and it is to protect doctors from criminal prosecution.

These abortions were illegally carried out and the doctors who carried them out are vulnerable. I have been saying for a long time that we need nothing less than a full review of abortion law and abortion practices and this highlights the need for a review.

But that wasn’t true at all.

She then had to send out an amended quote saying:

There is no part of the process that shouldn’t be properly adhered to because for many people it is about ending life and therefore the process should be completely adhered to.

This happens because, according to the Dept of Health: “Sometimes this is not possible for a number of reasons including illness, death or suspension of the terminating doctor or the doctor moving abroad.”

So a perfectly reasonable explanation. Poor Nadine Dorries thought she had a scandal on her hands.

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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Bernard Weatherman

When you are trying to organise a Tea Party you should at least be competent. Being a Mad Hatter is simply not enough. Definitely more Wonderland than Boston.

2. Unity

Actually Sunny, it’s an even worse fail than you suggest as Anne Milton’s reply to Dorries’ question begins:

The abortion form (HSA1) which requires the signature of two certifying doctors prior to an abortion, agreeing that there are grounds under the 1967 Abortion Act, is not submitted to the chief medical officer (CMO).

Dorries was explicitly told that the form that has to signed off by two doctors, by law, is not sent to the CMO.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    Nadine Dorries fumbles latest attack on abortions http://t.co/XJ2YpH7a

  2. Luke Farley

    Nadine Dorries fumbles latest attack on abortions http://t.co/XJ2YpH7a

  3. Owen

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  4. Emma

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  5. Cal Bryant

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  6. Jason Brickley

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  7. Kamaljeet Jandu

    Nadine Dorries fumbles latest attack on abortions http://t.co/XJ2YpH7a

  8. leftlinks

    Liberal Conspiracy – Nadine Dorries fumbles latest attack on abortions http://t.co/zYmH0uRj

  9. Lambeth NUT

    Nadine Dorries fumbles latest attack on abortions http://t.co/XJ2YpH7a

  10. Ray Sirotkin

    Nadine Dorries fumbles latest attack on abortions http://t.co/XJ2YpH7a

  11. Ministry of Truth » Blog Archive » No evidence of abortions ‘without sign-offs’ – updated

    [...] at Lib Con, Sunny adds an interesting new dimension to this story: Nadine Dorries thought this was a great coup! She sent out a quote to the Press [...]

  12. Iain

    MT @sunny_hundal: Poor Nadine Dorries. The Tory MP thought she had an abortions related scandal on her hand http://t.co/E0SxtPat < Haha!

  13. Sioned-Mair Richards

    Poor Nadine Dorries. The Conservative MP thought she had an abortions related scandal on her hand http://t.co/7UPfckCk

  14. annaarrowsmith

    ha fucking ha! “@sunny_hundal: Poor Nadine Dorries thought she had an abortions related scandal on her hand http://t.co/Kj7CnwDf”

  15. Naomi Mc

    We can at least be thankful that those who want to restrict women's reproductive rights are led by an utter idiot: http://t.co/qazcFMij

  16. bill walters

    We can at least be thankful that those who want to restrict women's reproductive rights are led by an utter idiot: http://t.co/qazcFMij

  17. Hannah Nesbitt

    Poor Nadine Dorries. The Conservative MP thought she had an abortions related scandal on her hand http://t.co/7UPfckCk

  18. Clive Burgess

    Poor Nadine Dorries. The Conservative MP thought she had an abortions related scandal on her hand http://t.co/7UPfckCk

  19. BevR

    Nadine Dorries fumbles latest attack on abortions | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/eOT2zCqG via @libcon

  20. Pucci D

    Nadine Dorries fumbles latest attack on abortions http://t.co/XJ2YpH7a

  21. severedelays

    Poor Nadine Dorries. The Conservative MP thought she had an abortions related scandal on her hand http://t.co/7UPfckCk

  22. Alan Hinnrichs

    Loopy #Tory @NadineDorries fumbles latest attack on abortions http://t.co/uWUumDpM

  23. Life: Downloaded

    Nadine Dorries fumbles latest attack on abortions | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/skEmq2NX via @libcon





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