Clare Murphy, director of external affairs at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas) said that the “harassment and intimidation of women and abortion clinic staff remains a national problem in need of a national solution”.

Since Javid’s 2018 decision, said Murphy, “there have been anti-abortion protests at 32 separate clinics and hospitals, including four new protest sites”.

Murphy said the problem could worsen in the coming weeks, as campaign group 40 Days for Life was going to start “six weeks of continuous ‘vigils’ outside abortion clinics across the country, which will see anti-abortion activists target thousands more women and healthcare staff”.

The judgement by the Court of Appeal shows buffer zones are “legal, proportionate, and necessary” said Murphy.

She continued: “We urge the new home secretary Priti Patel to listen to the voices of women, medical bodies, and women’s rights organisations, and look again at the case for national legislation.”

It’s time for the government to step up and protect women seeking abortion from harassment and abuse.

An abortion clinic has won a legal victory on safe zones, but there’s still more work to be done