Hundreds of people are expected to join a pro-life rally outside Parliament as MPs debate the Criminal Justice Bill and radical amendments that propose decriminalising abortion, even up to birth.

The rally in Parliament Square has been coordinated by pro-life groups who warn that if passed, the amendments will also legalise sex-selective abortions and "leave women and unborn babies vulnerable to dangerous procedures or medicines".

The groups include ADF UK, Christian Concern, Right to Life UK, the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), and Voice for Justice UK.

Lois McLatchie Miller, of ADF UK said, "Late stage abortions carry far greater risk to the mental and physical health of a woman; let alone, end the lives of viable, fully-developed babies who could survive outside the womb if given the chance to live.

"A humane society prevents this horrendous trauma. Rather than late-stage abortion, women and their babies deserve better care and support to survive and thrive."

Andrea Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, said all children, including the unborn, "deserve our protection."

She said that the changes would "open the door to abortion for sex-selection and eugenics, putting mothers under even more pressure to abort from partners and family".

"This is wildly out of step with public opinion and MPs must finally send the message to the abortion lobby that it has gone too far," she said.

Alithea Williams, of SPUC, said the amendments represented "the biggest threat to unborn babies since 1967".

"These decriminalisation amendments strip any remaining protections from the unborn, and either in fact, or de facto, allow abortion up to birth," she said.

"This extreme agenda is completely out of step with public opinion, and we are rallying to make this clear to MPs.

"Over ten million unborn lives have already been lost under the UK's abortion laws. We work towards a day when all human life is cherished and protected, but today, our message is one that all reasonable people should agree with – no to abortion up to birth."

Lynda Rose, head of Voice for Justice UK, said: "A nation that indiscriminately and without cause seeks to kill its unborn up to birth is destroying itself. In 2021, 214,869 abortions were reported in England and Wales – the highest number since records began. What will that number become if abortion is allowed up to birth?

"With our callous disregard of the right to life, the United Kingdom is rapidly becoming a kingdom of death. For the future wellbeing of all, these evil amendments must be defeated."