Abortion Filibuster?
The pro-life campaign group, Precious Life, is predicting it will have thousands of supporters at a "Rally for Life" at Stormont tomorrow. Another much smaller pro choice event is expected to take place in the centre of Belfast.
All this activity has been prompted by next week's scheduled debate of an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. An amendment tabled by Labour's Diane Abbott, the Liberal Democrat Evan Harris and others would extend the 1967 Abortion Act here. Another amendment, from Frank Field, argues that the issue should be left to the Stormont Assembly. Abortion is a criminal justice matter so until we get the transfer of justice powers it falls to Westminster, not Stormont.
Reports from Westminster suggest the government may try to "time out" the amendment by using a pricedural motion to push it to the back of the queue. This would be a convenient tactic so far as the Labour whips are concerned, in as much as it would avoid them putting a whip on an issue which is a matter of principle for their backbenchers. Diane Abbott's office hasn't returned my calls, but in a statement she said she was appalled by what she described as the government's "underhand tactics".
Irrespective of the manouvreings at Stormont, Precious Life are pushing ahead with what they are billing as a major rally at Stormont tomorrow. They reckons thousands of people will gather on the hill. Smaller pro choice demos are expected in Belfast, Lisburn and Derry.
We had a bit of a dress rehearsal for the Westminster debate today at Stormont, when the Health Committee heard from pro-life and pro-choice campaigners and the Chief Medical Officer on the topic of the Department of Health's draft guidelines on terminations.
Pro-life doctor Lorraine McDermott told the Committee that the extension of the 1967 Act here would mean 6000 unborn children would be killed every year. The DUP's Tom Buchanan called all abortions "murder" prompting a rebuke from the Family Planning Association's Audrey Simpson for using such an "emotive term".
The thrust of the mainly pro-life Committee seemed to be that the guidelines should be toughened up. Chair Iris Robinson told the Chief Medical Officer Michael McBride that it was important that a clear statement of abortion's illegality should preface the document.
During the often traumatic hearing, Llyn Coles of the Choose Life Ministries fought back tears as she told the Committee about how she had attempted suicide after undergoing an abortion 27 years ago.
With all this in mind, tomorrow's Inside Politics tackles abortion. My guests are two members of the Assembly's United Community group who are anything but united on this topic. South Belfast Alliance MLA Anna Lo has written to MPs in support of extending the 1967 Act here. West Tyrone Independent Health Coalition MLA Dr Kieran Deeny is a member of the Stormont pro-life group who will be attending tomorrow's rally.
You can hear them debate the arguments around the Westminster amendment on Inside Politics tomorrow at 12.45pm
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Is this the one the Dup boys were looking for a deal on when they supported the Government on the 42 day Terrorism Bill issue!!!
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JEFFREY SHOULD GELD OFF!
Jeffrey Donaldson, along with those other MLAs, who claim that the issue to extend the 1967 Abortion Act to cover Northern Ireland is a matter for Stormont to decide, is clearly wrong.
If Parliament were to vote against the amendment put forward by Diane Abbott and others, then in effect it would be indicating that it was against the 1967 Act and logic would dictate MPs should therefore repeal the Act.
Diane Abbott’s amendment must be supported in order to provide women residing in Northern Ireland the same protection under the law as those women who reside in Great Britain.
Why do 106 MLAs wish to deny women residing in Northern Ireland equal treatment of freedom of choice under circumstances of matters which are for their personal well-being?
Why do those male MLAs wish to involve themselves in the intimate concerns which are purely female?
If women were to campaign against vivisection, then they would be told to mind their own business!
Why not go the whole hog gentlemen?
Pandora
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Surely people should be given the right to decide. After all it will only cost £40 or so to fly to England to get it done. The DUP seem to be panicking because it was possibly against their deal over 42 days. Did nobody tell them 42 days is dead? The Government have dropped it.
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As much as I want to see the act extended to Northern Ireland I don't believe it will. Looking at the petitions both for and against the bill on the No 10 website show 4 times as many people have signed the No petition than the yes.
I of course also wonder how many of those names are men........
It seems that this is such an emotive issue that all the "christian right" get involved and the moderates who are for change seem to get drowned out.
The liberals need to mobilise as well if the bill is ever to be extended to Northern Ireland.
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Either we have an Assembly that makes laws or we don't. I feel that the Assembly should make the decision as it should be our elected representatives who should be answerable to the electorate on this.
Always an emotive subject. I personally don't agree with extending the Act, not for any political or religious reason -- I just think it is wrong and I also think a man has the right to speak out on this. I am a father and feel I have just the same rights with my kids as my wife has.
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Human Rights and Northern Ireland remain strangers.
When will the cilil wr be forgotten and NI take its place as just a part of The UK.
Jeff
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