ANTI-ABORTION Christian lobbying groups have met with MSPs 66 times since the start of 2024, the Sunday National can reveal.
It comes after a week in which a pensioner became the first person to be arrested under Scotland’s new abortion buffer zone law – which passed in November last year.
Scottish Greens MSP Gillian Mackay – who spearheaded the legislation – said the amount of access groups that hold these views received in Holyrood was “concerning”.
According to descriptions entered on the Scottish Parliament’s Lobbying Register, MSPs were lobbied specially on abortion during 12 meetings during the period.
However, there was no description for two meetings logged by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC). In some other meetings, details were kept vague.
According to the register, the organisations involved in anti-abortion lobbying were Bishops Conference of Scotland which had five meetings, Christian Action Research and Education (Care for Scotland) with four meetings, the Evangelical Alliance with two meetings and Free Church of Scotland with one meeting.
A further 54 meetings with these groups – as well as the Christian Institute, which is known for its anti-abortion stance – on other topics were held since 2024, including on assisted dying, conversion therapy, gender recognition reform (GRR) and Ash Regan's proposed bill to criminalise prostitution.
Former SNP turned independent MSP John Mason has been lobbied several times by Care for Scotland – including informing him of its submission to the Scottish Government's Abortion Law Review Expert Group – which was set up in 2024 to review the current law on abortion.
The group also “suggested a written question for the member to ask the Scottish Government, relating to how the members of the Abortion Law Review Expert Group were selected” in a meeting with Mason on September 18 past year – a topic it followed up on in a meeting on October 9.
On October 17, Mason then submitted a written question to the Scottish Government asking: “what the mix is of (a) pro-choice, (b) pro-life and (c) neutral members of the Abortion Law Review Expert Group.”
The MSP was previously pictured participating in an anti-abortion protest organised by the SPUC in Edinburgh (below) in 2023.
When approached for comment, he said it was part of an MSP's job to engage with various stakeholders.
First Minister John Swinney was also lobbied by the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland in October last year.
The group discussed various topics including “concerns” regarding the work of the Scottish Government Abortion Law Review group – also highlighting the lack of “pro-life” representatives.
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
Meanwhile, Scottish Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour met with Care for Scotland twice and Bishops’ Conference of Scotland once. Fellow Scottish Tory MSP Sandesh Gulhane met with the Evangelical Alliance once.
Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon (below) also met with the Bishops' Conference of Scotland in July last year to discuss the buffer zones legislation, which had not yet passed at the time.
Lennon, who was – and remains – a vocal supporter of the bill, told the Sunday National that she has “always been clear in my support for bodily autonomy and a woman’s right to choose, free from intimidation or harassment”.
She added: “Sadly, I was targeted for harassment by organisations closely linked to the Catholic Church following my recent interactions with the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland.
“I think it’s important that politicians hear from a wide range of organisations and subject to safety considerations, I am happy to meet the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland again on safe access zones – especially in light of the fake news coming from the White House.”
US vice-president JD Vance last week falsely claimed in a major speech that in Scotland, “even private prayer within a person’s own home may amount to breaking the law” – in reference to abortion buffer zone legislation – sparking outrage.
Mackay, meanwhile, said: “I would be concerned about how many people are meeting MSPs given the work that many of them are doing at the moment to undermine legislation that Parliament passed overwhelmingly.
“I suppose for some colleagues who maybe didn't vote for the legislation, that's potentially not surprising. But it is a concern that this is lobbying that’s going on. I would encourage everyone to really critique who it is that they're meeting and what the motives behind those meetings are.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Scottish Ministers are proud to have supported legislation to create Safe Access Zones and will continue to make clear that all women should have access to abortion services without judgement, should they require them.
“Safe Access Zones are designed to safeguard a woman’s right to access healthcare and protect their right to dignity and respect when they need it most. It is vital that Ministers engage with a wide variety of organisations on issues of importance."
