Emily's List: own up to membership

BY JOE JENKINS WOMEN STANDING as Labour Party candidates at the general election have been challenged by pro-lifers to make public their membership of the pro-abortion group Emily's List.
The "challenge", by Conservative MPs Ann Winterton and Elizabeth Peacock, who tabled an early day motion in the Commons last week, and by The Society For The Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), is for women candidates to publish in their manifesto an acknowledgement of the £1,650 received for their future support of any proabortion vote.
Phyllis Bowman, director of political development at SPUC, said: "Most people in this country are concerned about allegations of 'sleaze'.
"One has to ask what kind of candidates, especially women, would accept election expenses and training grants on condition that they will vote for abortion on demand. "
She added: "Some Emily women claim that personally they are opposed to abortion, but that they cannot impose their views on others."
A spokesman from the Labour Party told the Herald that there is no affiliation between itself and Emily's List.
Emily's List was set up three years ago to push for the presence of more women in Parliament. Valerie Price, spokeswoman for Emily's List, dismissed the early day motion and SPL TC's challenge as "absolute rubbish".
She said: "Once elected, they are not answerable to Emily's List". The money is intended "to help them get selected".