This afternoon, Huw signed and voted for New Clause 11 to the Public Order Bill, which is a cross-party amendment to enforce buffer zones around abortion clinics in England and Wales. Speaking in the debate in the House of Commons this afternoon, Huw said:
I support the Public Order Bill because it is about stopping people interfering with the right of others to go about their business. Does the hon. Lady (Stella Creasy MP) agree that this is at the heart of new clause 11, which is about protecting women who want to go about their lawful business from being harassed? They are emotionally vulnerable, and the decision is hard enough as it is, let alone with what they have to go through outside the clinic. Does she agree that it is a Conservative principle of the Bill to ensure women have the right to go about their lawful business?
As is convention when it comes to votes relating to abortion, this was a free vote with MPs allowed to vote based on their conscience and not on party lines. MPs voted by 297 to 110 in favour of the amendment.