MPs Attempt to Exploit Political Crisis to Push Their Own Abortion Agenda

In reaction to today’s visit to Belfast by some MPs, Dawn McAvoy of Both Lives Matter said, “It is for Northern Ireland to decide its own law on abortion, not Westminster. It is deeply regrettable that some within the Labour Party along with Amnesty International and the FPA are attempting to use the political crisis at Stormont to import failed legislation on abortion from Westminster in to Northern Ireland.”

“We know the law and policy in place in Northern Ireland saves lives, with robust and tested research indicating an estimated 100,000 people are alive today in our society who would not be if we adopted the 1967 Act. The lobbying effort on the part of this delegation of Labour MPs shows a contempt for democracy and devolution, and an arrogance that they know better than local people.”

While some people in Northern Ireland take a different view, the truth is that the people of Northern Ireland have continually voted for politicians who seek to maintain the law here which recognises and protects the lives of both women and unborn children. The democratically elected Northern Ireland Assembly debated the matter of law change fully in February 2016 and voted against making any changes to its laws by a significant majority. In June 2017, the Court of Appeal confirmed that the law in Northern Ireland did not breach human rights law and that any change would be a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Dawn McAvoy continues,

“Rather than repeat the tired old rhetoric that women’s rights equal abortion rights, we would invite those from outside of our jurisdiction to look at Northern Ireland with a fresh perspective. We would also invite them to meet with groups and individuals who see a better way than abortion which they seem reluctant to do.”