The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has declared that more power will be exerted onto Northern Ireland in order to ensure that the Westminster abortion regime is fully enforced in the region. SPUC says that the Government’s regulations are so extreme that they go far beyond any abortion legislation in Europe.
During a set of Parliamentary questions which were answered this week, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Robin Walker, responded to a question from pro-abortion Labour MP Stella Creasy.
Creasy asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he would “direct the Department of Health in Northern Ireland to commission services to comply with section 9 of the Northern Ireland Executive Formation Act 2019.”
Mr Walker responded by stating that the Government would provide whatever support possible to ensure full abortion services are commissioned in Northern Ireland.
He stated: “I am pleased that some service provision has commenced on the ground in Northern Ireland through existing sexual and reproductive health services during this uncertain time.
“I recognise the strain on the Northern Ireland health system at present. The Government stands ready to provide whatever support we can to the Department of Health in Northern Ireland to commission full abortion services, in line with the new legislative framework, as soon as possible.”
Anti-democratic and an abuse of power
The new regulations come into effect on 14 May. Earlier this month the Government was forced to withdraw its previous draft when it was found to be defective.
Liam Gibson, SPUC Northern Ireland Political Officer said: “By asking the Secretary of State if he will bypass the Northern Ireland Assembly to accelerate access to abortion, Stella Creasy has acknowledged that there is significant opposition to Downing Street’s abortion agenda in the Province.
“It seems that she is eager to maintain pressure on the Government but her intervention is largely irrelevant. While Stella Creasy has served as the figurehead of the Westminster abortion lobby, the legislation she proposed was so badly drafted that it was considered to be legally unworkable. Section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Act, which has created the most extreme abortion regime in Europe, was drafted by a Conservative Government and is being implemented by Conservative Ministers.
“Stella Creasy is little more than a sock-puppet. She could have done nothing without the cooperation of the Government. Her continued attempts to undermine devolution allows Downing Street to deny responsibility for the extremist abortion agenda it is pursuing. Pro-life politicians in the Conservative Party need to hold the Prime Minister accountable for this abuse of power and reject the Northern Ireland Abortion Regulations when they come before Parliament.”
Return authority for abortion law to the people of Northern Ireland
79% of the people in Northern Ireland who responded to the public consultation rejected the Government’s proposals regarding the abortion regime.
SPUC Northern Ireland have stated that in forcing abortion onto the region, Westminster have torn up the devolution settlement and are treating Northern Ireland as a colony.
If you would like to help SPUC repeal Westminster’s abortion regime, sign the petition here to Repeal Section 9.