Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Westminster told to stay out of abortion debate
ANTI-ABORTION activists have warned MPS any move to change Northern Ireland’s laws at Westminster would cripple devolution.
Campaigners travelled to London yesterday to make clear their opposition to any relaxation of the strict legal position on terminations.
The group spanned political divide, with a Democratic Unionist MLA joining a former Sinn Fein mayor and SDLP councillor to caution against change.
The Government has faced pressure to reform abortion legislation here amid the ongoing lack of devolved government.
Calls for change intensified after Supreme Court judges said the current laws were incompatible with human rights legislation.
Downing Street has maintained its view that the issue should be dealt with by a restored devolved Assembly.
The trip to London was organised by campaign group Both Lives Matter, whose co-founder Dawn Mcavoy said: “We would urge British MPS to respect the people of Northern Ireland and our elected representatives.”
DUP Assemly member Carla Lockhart added: “Any move to liberalise our abortion laws through Westminster would be unreasonable and disrespectful to the democratic process in Northern Ireland.”
Ann Brolly, a former Sinn Fein mayor of Limavady who quit the party in protest at moves to liberalise its stance on abortion, said: “All across the North there are many women, of different political persuasions who do not want this sort of imposition and I would strongly urge MPS to listen.”
SDLP councillor Roisin Lynch was also among those who attended.