Spokesperson for the Gibraltar Pro Life Movement, James Brenig, said the information, which was released by the Department of Health for England and Wales and NHS Scotland to Sky News under a Freedom of Information request shatters any illusions that abortion rates can be minimised or effectively contained:

"Perhaps the most haunting statistic to emerge from the data is the fact that five teenagers were among the 718 women who had at least their sixth abortion in 2018 in the UK.

"This is symptomatic of the cruelty and betrayal meted out to young and vulnerable girls when what they need, and what we should be offering is the direct opposite; namely compassion and meaningful support.

"To willingly create the conditions in which 143 women felt they had to have an abortion last year having previously had seven or more terminations – a 19% increase on 2017 and a 27% rise on 2016.-demonstrates the depth of our failure to appropriately nurture and support these women.

"All those in Gibraltar who are thinking of voting through the March referendum need to absorb these horrendous facts. This could be Gibraltar's reality too should we commence the abortion bill based on a similar legal framework. The facts are chilling", concluded Mr Brenig.

21-11-2019 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR