A decade after abortion powers were devolved to Holyrood, Scotland’s laws remain largely unchanged. Following recent reforms across the UK – including the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland in 2019 and in England and Wales in 2026 – Scotland now stands apart. Perhaps surprising to some, in Scotland, abortion remains illegal outside the terms of the Abortion Act 1967, and women ending their pregnancies can be prosecuted under laws dating as far back as the 17th century. The Scottish Government has faced increasing calls to modernise abortion law, and an independent expert group it commissioned recently concluded the current legal framework is “not fit for purpose”, Meanwhile, public support for abortion rights in Scotland remains consistently high, with a recent YouGov poll finding that 92% of Scots are in favour. To understand the current state of play, I examine what the main parties say about abortion in their manifestos and whether their positions have shifted over time.
In 2026, most political parties make some reference to abortion, albeit with varying levels of detail and commitment. The Scottish Greens adopt the clearest and most liberal stance, setting out a dedicated section on women’s reproductive health. This likely serves to signal to voters – particularly women – that the party treats reproductive rights as a political priority. Notably, the Greens have repeatedly called for decriminalising abortion, including in their 2016 and 2021 election manifestos. In the previous Parliament, co-leader Gillian Mackay successfully passed a Member’s Bill – backed with overwhelming cross-party support – establishing protest-free zones outside abortion clinics and hospitals. In 2026, the party frames abortion as a “fundamental right”, committing to introducing legislation to decriminalise abortion and removing the legal requirement for two doctors to authorise an abortion.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) similarly frames abortion as a “legal right”, pledging to protect it. While the party has promised not to restrict existing abortion law – a concern previously raised by pro-choice groups in relation to former Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes’ anti-abortion views – it sets out no specific commitments to reform. Instead, the party promises to open a consultation on the recommendations from the Abortion Law review, including decriminalisation. With the SNP forming the next government, the consultation is likely to go ahead. What remains unclear is whether abortion will be taken forward as government policy or left to individual MSPs, as in the past.
Both Scottish Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats include commitments on reproductive rights, although both have modified earlier positions. In 2026, the Lib Dems commit to “giv[ing] MSPs the opportunity to vote on decriminalisation”, without further detail about the process. This marks a step back from 2021, when the party pledged to “remove criminal sanctions for receiving an abortion”. However, it still goes beyond 2016, when Lib Dems promised to retain the existing legal framework following the devolution of abortion law – as did Scottish Labour. Scottish Labour’s 2026 manifesto commits to protecting reproductive rights and services, but without any specific reference to abortion legislation. In a recent interview, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar signalled that his party has no plans to change abortion law in the new Parliament, marking a shift from previous party support for decriminalisation.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservatives make no mention of abortion. This follows the pattern seen in the 2016 and 2021 elections, indicating that the party has no cohesive position on the issue. Notably, abortion is usually subject to a “free vote” in the Scottish Parliament, meaning that politicians are afforded the freedom to vote according to their own conscience rather than the party line.
Another party with no clear stance on abortion is Reform Scotland UK. While their manifesto omits any reference to abortion, other evidence suggests support for greater restrictions on abortion access and reproductive rights. For example, Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has suggested that MPs should debate lowering the abortion time limit from 24 weeks to 22. Farage has also been linked to US anti-abortion organisation, Alliance Defending Freedom, which played a prominent role in overturning Roe v Wade. Most recently, Reform UK appointed Dr James Orr, a theologian who opposes abortions under all circumstances, as the party’s Head of Policy. Reform’s growing embrace of anti-abortion ideas signals a hardened far right position that could test the stability of the current cross-party consensus.
At this point, the future of abortion law remains uncertain, including whether a Bill on abortion decriminalisation will be introduced in the next Parliament. There are also wider questions about how the Scottish Parliament will function with Reform MSPs, and what this could mean for equality policymaking more broadly. While reproductive rights have been restricted in some countries, the global trend is towards liberalising abortion laws. This makes it increasingly important for Scottish political parties to take a clear, cross-party approach in ensuring legislation is fit for the 21st century – otherwise Scotland risks falling behind the rest of the UK and international standards.
