Nothing less than a betrayal by Labour

If tomorrow's vote on liberalising abortion law is blocked, the government's equal rights agenda will lie in tatters
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According to today's Guardian, Harriet Harman is planning to quash the free Commons votes tomorrow on liberalising Britain's abortion laws. Doing so would be an outrageous betrayal of those who supported her successful Labour deputy leadership campaign.

The specific measures proposed include legalising abortion in Northern Ireland, revoking the rule that demands that two doctors are required to authorise any abortion, and allowing nurses to prescribe early-stage medical terminations (conducted through taking drugs rather than through surgical procedure).

Rumour has it that Harman, the leader of the Commons, will either table a motion preventing amendments on abortion or that an unofficial whip will tip certain MPs to "filibuster" or talk out the time for the bill, so that it goes to a vote before the abortion amendments are reached.

But the government agrees with these measures, and Harman and Dawn Primarolo built their careers on the equalities agenda for women – so why would they betray women now? The whispers from Westminster suggest that the government view is that it is "not the right time", right now. Not because of the economic situation, not because of public opinion, but because we are nearing the date of the Glenrothes byelection.

From a Labour perspective, this is outrageous, as Polly Toynbee argues in today's Guardian. For a Labour government to stifle the best chance in a generation to reform abortion law would be an unforgivable betrayal, and a political stupidity.

Let's say, just for the sake of argument, that the government supported and facilitated a free vote on the reform of abortion. There is every possibility that we would go into the Glenrothes byelection with the pro-choice movement having won that vote. Yes, it's true that some people would want to punish Labour for that. But if the SNP and Conservatives ran a hysterical campaign on abortion while we are leading on the economy – and with a strong local candidate – it is clear that the opposition would be marginalising themselves with this issue.

The worst-case scenario is that Labour loses in Glenrothes, and in the unlikely circumstances that it is because of this issue. Even then, Labour would still have delivered a better, more accessible, less bureaucratic service to women on the mainland and have enabled reform in Northern Ireland.

We should be taking these steps with pride. It is acceptable for Labour MPs with personal concerns to vote against these measures if they feel they must. But I would want to see any Labour MP who used a filibustering mechanism to prevent it being debated face a deselection procedure in their own constituency. Any minister or whip who tipped a wink to a backbencher suggesting a filibuster was OK – I would want to see them sacked. And any political adviser suggesting to No 10 that the Glenrothes byelection result will be improved by making the prime minister look weak on an issue at the heart of our ideology? That person is a fool.

Last year, Harriet Harman won the deputy leadership of the Labour party with a call to support her as a woman. She did so with credibility because of the way she has driven the equalities agenda throughout her career. But having used that agenda to take her to the most powerful position she has ever enjoyed, it will be the most cynical betrayal if she prevents a vote on these measures tomorrow.

Labour politicians should not achieve power so it can perpetuate their careers. Labour politicians are there to use their power for the good of the country and its people. Does this generation of Labour politicians have the progressive vision that can lead Britain for another 10 years or has it run out of ideas, motivated by short-term opinion poll deviations? I won't know until I see what their position is on this bill.

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