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Shabana Mahmood will write to constituents saying she has “significant concerns” that a change in the law could give women an incentive to have unsafe abortions at home.

Wes Streeting, the health secretary, is said to be weighing up whether to abstain or vote against amendments being tabled to the Crime and Policing Bill.

Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, the Conservative and Reform UK leaders, are expected to oppose the move.

Two amendments have been tabled by Labour MPs and the Speaker will decide which to select for a vote, likely on Wednesday. Under Tonia Antoniazzi’s amendment, already backed by 168 MPs, women would no longer be breaking the law if they terminated a pregnancy after 24 weeks or without approval from two doctors.
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The Times understands that Mahmood opposes both amendments, although she will be unable to vote against them as she is on ministerial business abroad next week. An ally said Mahmood had “significant concerns” around the growth in the number of women using online services to order abortion pills without a physical consultation.

“She believes that, from a women’s health and safety perspective, there’s such little oversight,” the ally said. “If you do take those pills later on, it can have a really terrible impact on you.”

Senior government figures expect Antoniazzi’s amendment to pass with a large majority. In a survey of more than 100 MPs, about 70 per cent agreed that women should not be liable for prison sentences if they have abortions outside the rules.