Scotland’s Catholic bishops decry Green Party abortion push

Catholic bishops in Scotland have condemned a Green Party proposal to decriminalize abortion and treat the procedure as standard healthcare. The Green Party is urging the Scottish government to act on a November 2025 expert group report that recommended legalizing abortion on request up to 24 weeks.

Bishop John Keenan of Paisley, who leads the Scottish bishops' commission on marriage, family, and life, said the Church is deeply disturbed by the suggestion that abortion should be treated like any other healthcare procedure. In a statement, the bishops argued that the claim ignores the reality of abortion as the deliberate ending of an innocent and defenseless human life. Instead of decriminalization, the bishops called on legislators to invest in measures that protect and support mothers.

While abortion is currently available in Scotland, it is not legal upon demand, and performing or seeking abortion care outside existing legal pathways remains a crime under Scottish law. The Green Party currently holds 15 seats in the 129-member national parliament.