British Pro-Life Group Cautiously Welcome Decision to Not Allow Abortion TV Ads

From http://lifenews.com/int1476.html

British Pro-Life Group Cautiously Welcome Decision to Not Allow Abortion TV Ads

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 2, 2010

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London, England (LifeNews.com) -- A British pro-life group is cautiously welcoming a decision by Britain's broadcast regulator BCAP (Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice) shelving a proposal for advertising by abortion businesses on television.

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) has given the decision a cautious welcome.

Last year, BCAP received 4,000 letters and other communication from UK residents after announcing in March that it would consider watering down the rules to allow the abortion ads.

Some of the letters included petitions with either hundreds or thousands of signatures from British people opposed to the idea.

BCAP announced yesterday that ads for commercial abortion centers will not be permitted in new rules to be published soon. However the rules on television advertising could still be altered after the General Election.

John Smeaton, the director of the pro-life group, told LifeNews.com the decision is a welcome one.

"BCAP's statement suggests there was overwhelming opposition to TV abortion advertising in response to their consultation," he said.

Smeaton continued: "However, a word of caution: We hope that the statement is not conditioned by the impending general election and the desire to conceal a decision in favor of abortion advertising on TV for which the government would be blamed - especially in view of David Cameron's speech last July when he said: 'Even when a power is delegated to a quango, the minister remains responsible.'"

Dr Helen Watt, the director of the Linacre Centre, which jointly wrote the submission by the Roman Catholic Bishops of England and Wales, also applauded the decision, according to the London Times.

"We welcome the fact that there remain some limitations on the broadcast advertising of abortion, but do not believe that any advertising should be permitted of this life-destroying intervention," Watt said.

A BCAP spokesman said last September that, "The volume of responses, around 4,000, to the Cap and BCAP code consultation was significant and greater than anticipated. This is perhaps due in part to widespread media coverage around the consultation launch.

Watt added: "Women are ill-served by organizations, whether commercial or not, which offer the termination of their babies' lives as a solution to their problems."

Related web sites:
Society for the Protection of Unborn Children - http://www.spuc.org.uk




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