Ma y ’s crisis over Irish abortion poll
PM faces split as calls grow for law change in Northern Ireland too
THERESA May faces huge pressure over Northern Ireland abortion laws after the Irish referendum backed reform south of the border.
Two-in-three voters in the Republic supported a change in the law, finally ending the country’s ban on abortions.
It led to calls to end the “anomalous” situation in Northern Ireland, where terminations are only legal if the life or mental health of the mother is at risk.
MPs across the Commons indicated support for rewriting current legislation in the absence of a devolved administration in Stormont, where the powersharing deal between the DUP and Sinn Fein collapsed last year.
But it will be tough for the Prime Minister, whose Government is being propped up by 10 MPs from the DUP, which is strongly opposed to a change in the law. Mrs May believes it would be wrong to impose pro-choice laws on the devolved nation and believes any reform “is an issue for Northern Ireland”, a Downing Street source said last night. The source added: “It shows one of the important reasons we need a functioning executive back up and running.” The PM yesterday congratulated voters in Ireland on their “impressive show of democracy” while remaining silent on calls to extend the rights over the border.
Labour MP Stella Creasy said over 140 parliamentarians had already signalled support for an effort to change the law.
Minister for Women Penny Mordaunt said it was a “great day for Ireland” and a “hopeful one for Northern Ireland”, adding: “That hope must be met.”
Four previous Women’s Ministers – Nicky Morgan, Amber Rudd, Justine Greening and Maria Miller – backed her support for reform. Shadow Women’s Minister Dawn Butler said: “Fifty years ago, abortion was decriminalised under a Labour government but women in Northern Ireland are still denied this fundamental right.”
Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable added his support for change, saying: “The position in Northern Ireland is now highly anomalous and I think, probably, action will now have to be taken.”
But DUP MP Ian Paisley said Northern Ireland “should not be bullied into accepting abortion on demand”.
And DUP leader Arlene Foster said: “The legislation governing abortion is a devolved matter and it is for the Northern Ireland Assembly to debate and decide such issues.”