New powers to stop campaigners intimidating abortion-clinic patients considered by Government

More than 110 MPs wrote to the Home Secretary urging her to consider ‘buffer zones’ around clinics, banning praying, silent vigils and brandishing of pictures of foetuses

Amber Rudd has announced a crackdown on protests outside abortion clinics (PA)

New powers are being considered to protect women seeking abortions from intimidation and harassment by demonstrators outside clinics, Amber Rudd has announced.

Anti-abortion campaigners have been known to confront women outside family planning facilities with pictures of foetuses and to host “abortion vigils” where they pray for people to change their minds on seeking a termination.

Following pressure from more than 110 cross-party MPs to bolster protections for vulnerable women, the Home Secretary has vowed to consider new police-and-civil powers to clamp down on aggressive protesters.

She said: “While everyone has a right to peaceful protest, it is completely unacceptable that anyone should feel harassed or intimidated simply for exercising their legal right to healthcare advice and treatment.

“The decision to have an abortion is already an incredibly personal one, without women being further pressured by aggressive protesters.

“Let me be clear, this review is about ensuring the police, healthcare providers and local authorities have the right powers to protect women making these tough decisions.

“But this isn’t to kick the issue into the long grass. The review will collect the detailed evidence and firm recommendations that allow us to take the right action to tackle this problem.”

The wide-ranging review will seek to boost existing protections as the law already covers harassment and intimidation and the police have a range of powers to manage protests.

Labour MP Rupa Huq, who spearheaded a cross-party letter to Ms Rudd about the issue, welcomed the review but said it must go further to create 150m “buffer zones” around abortion clinics where singing, silent praying and displaying images of foetuses are banned.

She said: “I have been speaking out on this issue in Parliament for some time now and so I am pleased that the Home Secretary is undertaking a comprehensive review into the daily intimidation that women receive while trying to access NHS-provided healthcare.

“Whilst I welcome the review, the demands of the original campaign remain.”

The Ealing Central and Acton MP also called for women to have complete anonymity while seeking abortions, as with other NHS procedures.

She added: “I welcome the review then with cautious optimism and hope that it reports in a timely fashion rather than pushing this important issue into the long grass.”

Katherine Murphy, head of policy research at the Britsh Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas), said: “Across the country, women seeking legal healthcare services are being filmed, followed, and intimidated by a small number of individuals with extreme views on abortion.

“We would not accept this behaviour in any other kind of setting or targeted at any other group of individuals.

“We trust that the review process will take in to account the experience of the women accessing abortion services and the staff who provide this care, and conclude in a timely fashion to prevent this national problem escalating any further.”

Clare McCullough, director of The Good Counsel Network, which holds prayer vigils outside the Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing, said her organisation conducted “peaceful outreach” and never sought to harass women.

In a letter to Ms Rudd, published online, she said: “I would like to state categorically that no one attending our vigils calls women seeking abortion ‘murderers’.

“Nor do we follow them. If these things were occurring at our vigils, which happen every day, there would be ample opportunity to provide proof of it. There is none.”