Abortion limit reduction support by Meon Valley MP Flick Drummond

This amendment, prompted by recent medical advances, doesn't alter the rights of women to terminate pregnancies due to severe disability risks or threat to the mother's life beyond the proposed limit.

Ms Drummond joined 30 cross-party MPs to submit the amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill. Despite the cut, the UK would retain the second-highest abortion limit in Europe, significantly surpassing the 12-week average.

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The petition being delivered (Image: Supplied)Ms Drummond said: "The abortion limit was last changed in 1990 when it went from 28 weeks to 24 weeks on the back of medical advances.

"We are in this position again as several hundred babies a year born in the UK are surviving at 22 or 23 weeks. Experts have said a baby born at 23 weeks now has a 40 per cent chance of survival.

“I also believe this change is incredibly modest when compared with our European neighbours.

"It in no way affects women’s ability to undergo an abortion for a range of medical reasons. The law around that remains unchanged."