Should Westminster intervene over NI's abortion law?
 

The UK government must "wake up" and decriminalise abortion in Northern Ireland, Tory MPs have told the BBC. Anna Soubry, Nicky Morgan and Heidi Allen said Westminster must step in to protect women's human rights.
Northern Ireland's Assembly - which legislates on healthcare - collapsed 21 months ago, and a new poll suggests two-thirds of Northern Ireland citizens would support Westminster intervening.

The UK government said it was for Northern Ireland politicians to decide.
Currently abortion is illegal in Northern Ireland unless there is a serious risk to a woman's life or health. Conservative MP Anna Soubry told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme that she wanted her party "to wake up to this and take responsibility. "Real people are suffering in a way that is absolutely intolerable in this day and age," she added.
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-45719000


Is it time for Westminster to step in and sort out the abortion question in Northern Ireland? The UN has stated that women's rights are being violated. Westminster says that only the devolved Northern Ireland Assembly has the power to change the abortion law as they have responsibility for healthcare. But the Assembly hasn't been able to put aside their differences and sit for almost two years now. And is it a healthcare question when abortion in Northern Ireland is a criminal act? Surely then it's a legal matter rather than a healthcare question?

I'm of the mind that as the Assembly has all but crumbled and is no longer serving the interests of the people in NI, then Westminster has to act.

What do you think?

Yes, I fully support the view now that Westminster as the government of the UK, in the absence of the devolved assembly functioning,Westminster needs to decide this matter.

There are also Conservative MPs supporting such a move now too.
Yes it should be sorted out now, once and for all by Westminster.

I think so, they should atleast be given a referendum on it considering both the UK and the Republic of Ireland have abortion now

Referendum to decide.

very difficult one. Irrespective of the issue itself, you can't devolve power and then say ... you are not doing it right, we will decide. A referendum does seem a sensible course, but it's up to the people to demand it if they really want it.

America will soon be anti abortion, and that is a massive issue. Perhaps the UN should be looking in that direction.

Yes that would solve it.


The problem is No Party is in power
they are still in long time dispute

Even if that devolved assembly can't resolve its differences and hasn't sat for well over a year and a half?

And is it a healthcare question? Or a legal question? Because if it's a legal question it's for Westminster to decide.

My personal view is that Westminster will not touch this at any cost for fear of upsetting the DUP, on whom they rely as they have no majority.