Whiteford bill plea from May

Theresa May has urged her backbenchers to back a north-east MP’s fight to end violence against women.

The prime minister appealed to Conservatives not to block Eilidh Whiteford’s private member’s bill tomorrow.

If passed, it will provide the Government with a vehicle for ratifying the Istanbul Convention.

The Council of Europe agreement is designed to prevent and eradicate violence against women.

The UK played a prominent role in developing it, but the process stalled.

SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson challenged Mrs May to “discourage any attempt to use parliamentary wrecking tactics to stop it”.

During the second reading stage, Tory MP Philip Davies was accused of trying to kill off the bill with a 77-minute speech. He argued it was sexist to say the focus should only be on violence against women.

But the prime minister insisted her government was “fully committed” to ratifying the convention.

She added: “The government has tabled some mutually agreed amendments which the government will be voting for this Friday.

“And I hope that all honourable friends who will be here on Friday will be supporting those measures.

“This is an important bill, the government has been supporting it and I hope it will see support across all parts of this House.”

Nationalist MP Ms Whiteford, who represents Banff and Buchan, welcomed Mrs May’s support.

She added: “The Istanbul Convention is the most far reaching piece of violence against women legislation that has been developed. Yet the UK has been waiting over four and a half years to ratify.”