Stella Creasy defends abortion reform calls amid fresh cross-party pressure
3 min read
Labour MP Stella Creasy has defended cross-party calls for Westminster to reform abortion law in Northern Ireland as in keeping with devolution, by insisting changes would affect the whole of the UK.
A number of Tory MPs and senior DUP figures last week blasted proposals to liberalise the rules as undermining devolution, while Downing Street dismissed the calls saying Northern Ireland was “entitled to their own process”.
It follows increased pressure on the province, which has been without an administration since last January, to follow Ireland and the rest of the UK in changing its rules around terminating pregnancy.
Ms Creasy, who has led calls for Northern Ireland to change course, was among a group of MPs behind a letter demanding the repeal of sections of the 1861 Offences against the Person Act, which would allow Northern Ireland exemptions that have existed in England and Wales for decades.
The signatories say that a consensus exists to change the legislation so modern laws can be enacted, and could force a vote on the issue in the Commons this week.
The letter, which was seen by the Observer, stated: “In particular, we are concerned at the unequal treatment of UK citizens, with women in Northern Ireland unable to access abortion even in instances of rape, incest or fatal foetal abnormality.”
It added that abortion should be reframed as medical rather than criminal.
The document was drawn up by Stella Creasy and Diana Johnson from Labour, Jo Swinson from the Lib Dems, Caroline Lucas from the Greens, Liz Saville Roberts from Plaid Cymru and Sarah Wollaston, the Tory chair of the Commons health select committee.
This morning the Walthamstow MP told the Andrew Marr Show “it would be up to the people of Northern Ireland” how they would proceed, adding that it would “put the power back into the hands of every nation”.
“I’m talking about changing UK legislation. It would also have an impact on my constituents in Walthamstow,” she said.
“People in Seven Sisters, to Southampton to south Belfast to Scotland would be affected by this change. I think it is right that we look at legislation that is 150 years out of date.
“It is absolutely right that we give people the opportunities to update that legislation. It would be up to the people of Northern Ireland how they would do that… frankly just because the DUP are at Theresa May’s table that should stop us looking at UK abortion law.”
A Downing Street spokesman last week said of calls for the rules in Northern Ireland to be reformed: "This is a devolved matter”.
"It is important to recognise that the people of Northern Ireland are entitled to their own process which is run by elected politicians.
"Our focus is restoring a democratically accountable devolved government in Northern Ireland so that locally accountable politicians can make decisions on behalf of the public they represent.”
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