Abortion: outrage at diktat for Northern Ireland

The UK government has taken unprecedented and controversial steps in an attempt to force Stormont to implement new abortion laws.

In March 2020, abortion law in Northern Ireland (NI) changed allowing terminations for any reason during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and thereafter only in certain cases. No limit has been placed in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities.

The new laws were imposed on the region during the collapse of the power-sharing institutions, but the NI executive has refused to take action commissioning abortion services consistent with the regulations. Central government has responded by granting the NI secretary Brandon Lewis powers to impose a statutory duty on NI ministers and relevant authorities to ensure full local access to abortions.

The move has been condemned by DUP’s Westminster leader, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who warned that moves to legislate over the Stormont executive were ‘dangerous’ and the DUP would ‘vigorously oppose’ further legislative action.

Criticising the government’s latest actions in a House of Commons debate, Tory MP Sir Edward Leigh said: ‘This is not democracy … The fact is that the overwhelming majority of the people of Northern Ireland believe in the sanctity of life. They oppose abortion.’

Catherine Robinson at Right To Life UK said: ‘It appears that abortion advocates in the Northern Ireland Office are more than willing to ignore precedent and established relations between Stormont and Westminster in their pursuit of abortion expansion, no matter what the cost.’

Meanwhile, a coalition of pro-life groups, Care For Women, has called for an ‘immediate end’ to DIY home abortions in England and Wales. Home abortions are temporarily legal during the pandemic, but government is consulting on plans making the measures permanent.

DIY home abortions are permitted for women up to ten weeks’ pregnant. It means they can take two consecutive abortion pills at home, followed by a remote medical consultation. Previously, only the second pill could be administered at home, but MPs recently heard accounts of multiple serious incidents and emergencies involving home abortions.

Rachel Mackenzie heads up abortion support organisation Rachel’s Vineyard. She said the organisation is ‘supporting unprecedented numbers of women and teenagers suffering trauma due to DIY home abortion’.