ganisations to provide donor insemination to on non-discriminatory basis - the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) - has just announced that this service will close after July.
The withdrawal of these facilities will badly hit lesbians and single women who are Hounslow services by a Hounslow NALGO member Hounslow council are threatening a cuts package of some £12 million in the next financial year. NALGO members are preparing for action.
Jobs and services have already been pared back to a minimum, following £10 million of cuts in the last two years. The ruling Labour group have made it clear that 'nothing is sacred', and are clearly prepared to consider cuts in any area, in an attempt to keep the Poll Tax to a minimum.
NALGO members fear up to 100 redundancies, the removal of nursery provisions for under-5s, and the vast majority of the private health sector. It marks a particularly significant blow to women's reproductive rights in the wake of the debates around the Embryology Act, and the ongoing court battles over the rights of lesbians to foster and adopt.
Though Ian Jones, director of BPAS, has stated that the abolition of the service is not related to the 'virgin births' controversy, there is a discriminatory policy underlying the move.
This was revealed by a BPAS spokeswoman who said 'Abortion is a fundamental human Free Patrick McLaughlin!
A campaign has been started in support of Patrick McLaughlin, an Irish framed on 'conspiracy' charges in 1986. McLaughlin was sentenced to life imprisonment, despite very contradictory evidence and considerable confusion on the part of the judge.
McLaughlin was convicted of 'conspiracy to cause explosions' after an unexploded bomb was found outside Chelsea army barracks in November 1985.
The evidence against him rested on three points: that a fingerprint was found on a bag inside the bomb; that his name was found on a magazine in a van allegedly used to transport the bomb; and that he had a conversation with a police officer in which he said that he right, butaccess to reproductive technology - although it is desirable and should be freely available - is not!
The decision was also clearly influenced by market forces and the economic strictures that BPAS is operating under. It was felt by the majority of the management committee that the number of women using the DI services did not justify the human and financial resources that they re quire. This is a situation which would be worsened by the regulatory demands of the Embryology Act. was aware that a bomb was being made at a flat in North London.
But other fingerprints were though the police refused to identify them. McLaughlin claimed that the magazine was planted in the And he denied that any vale incriminating conversation took place. In addition, police officer said that he never heard McLaughlin mention anything about a bomb.
Conspiracy charges are frequently used against Irish people, particularly when the charges are political and there is a lack of real evidence.
Leicester Trades Council are now urging that the labour movement should campaign for McLaughlin's release.