Jeremy Corbyn urged to whip Labour MPs to back Northern Ireland abortion reform
3 min read
A string of candidates to Labour's powerful ruling body have called on Jeremy Corbyn to use the party's "full parliamentary muscle" to extend abortion rights in Northern Ireland after last week's historic Irish vote.
Citizens in the Republic of Ireland on Friday voted by more than 65% to ditch rules that allow a woman to have an abortion only when her life is at risk.
The move has increased calls for Westminster to step in and repeal similar rules in Northern Ireland that force many women to travel to England to access help.
Labour has so far said it is "looking at legislative options" for extending abortion rights, but the leadership has stopped short of saying it will whip its MPs to support backbencher Stella Creasy's bid to equalise access across the UK.
Nine centre-left candidates for Labour's ruling National Executive Committee have now urged the leadership to go further and formally back Ms Creasy's upcoming amendment to the Domestic Violence Bill.
They have also called on the leadership to throw its weight behind fellow Labour backbencher Conor McGinn's bid to extend same-sex marriage rights to Northern Ireland, saying it is vital that the party shows "solidarity with women and LGBT people in Northern Ireland".
In open letter published in The Guardian, they write: "We believe the Labour party should use its full parliamentary muscle to ensure these rights.
"While we accept abortion is a matter of conscience, ensuring equal rights for all our citizens should be a matter of consensus."
The NEC candidates - backed by centrist Labour groups Progress and Labour First - say the party should ignore "fundamentally wrong" calls for a referendum on abortion rights in Northern Ireland, and should instead pressure the government to directly intervene in the absence of power-sharing.
Northern Ireland has been without its own ministers for almost 18 months, following the collapse of its government over the handling of a controversial green energy scheme.
They add: "This is a core Labour value and members will want our parliamentarians to show solidarity with women and LGBT people in Northern Ireland and to see the frontbench whip in support of the 1967 Abortion Act and equal marriage legislation we have already supported and endorsed.
"No more delay. It is time for equality for all."
The pleas to Mr Corbyn came as Theresa May batted away calls for a free vote on Ms Creasy's amendment despite two of her ministers and several of her own high-profile MPs publicly urging her to take action.
A Downing Street spokesperson said the issue was a "devolved" matter and that Northern Ireland's citizens were "entitled to their own process which is run by elected politicians".
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
