By Jess McCabe | 29 August 2007, 10:11

We’ve not mentioned it on the blog, I don’t think, but I’m sure readers will be aware that Amnesty International recently changed its policy, to support the right to abortion for cases where a woman has been raped, sexually assaulted, her life is in danger or incest is involved.

The human rights advocate has maintained a neutral stance on abortion in the past, which has helped it win the backing of anti-choice religious types such as the Pope and Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the head of the Catholic church in Scotland.

Well, it can no longer count on the support of O’Brien, who the Independent reports has withdrawn his membership in protest at the decision to support a woman’s right not to be forced to continue a pregnancy which might kill her, or carry a rapist’s baby.

Although it’s a marginal amount of money, I’m glad to hear this man of the cloth is so offended by this gross breach of human rights that he is willing to remove his support from the victims of people trafficking, torture and victims of the death penalty, for example. Way to go Cardinal!