State casting women adrift in their most desperate hour of need

THE personal is political, or so the feminist slogan, which originated in the 1960s, tells us.

The phrase came to mind as I listened to the story of a woman who had to travel to the UK for an abortion in recent weeks.

I don’t know the woman well, but I know a member of her family very well. I got regular updates on the unfolding situation, in all its awfulness, over a number of weeks. I’m going to refer to the woman who had the abortion as my friend, to keep it simple.