Scheduled Event -
Tuesday 10th February
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Lords -
Oral questions - Main Chamber
Whether the learning from the results of the Better Start longitudinal programmes will become pregnancy and early years policy and be implemented
MP: Baroness ThorntonSpeech in Lords Chamber - Wed 04 Feb 2026 Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill
"My Lords, it is wonderful to follow the great maiden speech of my noble friend Lord Duvall—Len, to the rest of us—and I am proud to welcome another Labour and Co-op member to your Lordships’ House.
"As we have heard from the noble Lord, Lord Jackson, basically, this suite of amendments drives a coach and horses through abortion rights as a whole, as well as, of course, completely opposing the clause that is under discussion. For example, virtually zero abortions occur at 39 weeks’ gestation. Taking …..." Baroness Thornton - View Speech
"I do not mind. At this stage, they are probably a bit tired too, changing the annunciator.
The noble Lord might say that he is not opposed to abortion but, frankly, these amendments suggest that he probably is...." Baroness Thornton - View Speech
"My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Jackson, has been around this circuit before, I think on a Private Member’s Bill proposed by one of his noble friends, about collecting the statistics. It shows that he does not actually seem to have checked what statistics are already collected before deciding that …..." Baroness Thornton - View Speech
"Does the noble Baroness accept that none of these things has happened in Northern Ireland? We changed the law and decriminalised abortion in Northern Ireland several years ago and literally none of the things that she is mentioning has happened there—nor in any of the other 50 countries where abortion …..." Baroness Thornton - View Speech