Tory MP chokes back tears as she tells of decision to have abortion
A CONSERVATIVE MP fought back tears yesterday as she told the Commons of her ‘incredibly hard decision’ to have an abortion.
Heidi Allen, 43, said it came at a time when she was having seizures and could not care for herself, let alone a child.
Her emotional speech came as MPs discussed whether abortion laws in Northern Ireland should be relaxed after the resounding ‘pro-choice’ Irish referendum result.
She said: ‘I was ill when I made the incredibly hard decision to have a termination. I was having seizures every day. I wasn’t even able to control my own body, let alone care for a new life.’
Calling for abortion to be allowed in Northern Ireland, the South Cambridgeshire MP said it was a ‘hard and emotive topic’ but she would make it ‘her business’ to fight for the rights of women in the province.
The Government has said the issue is a devolved matter and should be up to the people of Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley said she personally wanted strict laws liberalised but would not ‘disenfranchise’ voters. Yesterday she said if the abortion issue came before the Commons a free vote would take place as it is a ‘matter of conscience’.
But she insisted her focus is on restoring the devolved assembly at Stormont. Theresa May has also stressed the decision should be made in Northern Ireland, although she welcomed the referendum result.
Her official spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister has been clear in her support for women’s rights in respect of access to safe abortions and she welcomed the referendum result in Ireland.
‘We are in agreement that the best way forward for Northern Ireland is through locally accountable politicians making important decisions through devolution.’ However, women’s minister Penny Mordaunt yesterday sent a message to Northern Ireland stating that if it does not reform laws, Westminster will.
She tweeted: ‘With authority comes responsibility. Message from NI Secretary of State today: NI should take that responsibility. Message from the House of Commons: if you don’t, we will. #trustthat, women’. Labour MP Stella Creasy had tabled the Westminster debate, proposing the repeal of laws which criminalise abortion. The Supreme Court will rule tomorrow on whether Northern Ireland’s abortion laws should be in line with the rest of the UK.
It has been asked to consider if the laws breach human rights legislation because they ban termination in cases of rape, incest or serious foetal anomaly.
The issue is particularly fraught for Mrs May whose Government relies on the support of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party to stay in power.
The DUP’s Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson earlier caused controversy after saying there were 100,000 people alive today because of abortion rules in Northern Ireland.
He insisted babies would otherwise have been ‘put in a bin’.
‘Hard and emotive topic’