UPDATE: Abortion law in Northern Ireland comes under attack as Precious Life and politicians fight back

Date: 26th July 2018

UPDATE: Abortion law in Northern Ireland comes under attack as Precious Life and politicians fight back

Following the issuing of our latest urgent action alert this Monday, calling on the people of Northern ireland to urgently contact their parliamentarians, politicians along with the pro-life community of Northern Ireland have come out fighting in defence of Northern Ireland's pro-life laws. Northern Ireland's life-saving laws came under intense attack last weekend when an open letter calling for abortion to be forced onto the province was signed by 170 British and Irish politicians and published in the Sunday Times.

The letter stated on behalf of these pro-abortion MPs and MLAs that, "It is our belief that the current situation for women cannot be ignored or allowed to continue." It continued, "Without urgent action, women and girls living in Northern Ireland will continue to be unable to access safe healthcare at home." The letter also referred to women and girls in Northern Ireland as "second class citizens." The outrageous letter concluded, "We therefore call for our respective governments to act to ensure that the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement is upheld and the human rights of the women living in Northern Ireland are respected."

In response to the letter, Precious Life director Bernadette Smyth said: “In 2016, the Northern Ireland Assembly voted against any change in the laws, so this must be respected. It is also abhorrent that these pro-abortionists are attempting to use the Good Friday Agreement to legalise the killing of our children. Our unborn children must never be discriminated against. Their most fundamental right – the right to life – must always be respected and upheld," Bernadette Smyth told the Newsletter.

Bernadette Smyth also went head to head over the news withAmnesty on the BBC's Stephen Nolan Show. LISTEN to theinterview HERE.

Following the release of Precious Life's press statement and subsequent public action alert, our comments attracted widespread attention and were covered in the Newsletter and the Belfast Telegraph amongst others. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson later made comments regarding the letter, blasting it as "fundamentally flawed." 

"The proper place for a discussion on abortion laws is here in Northern Ireland. However, the purpose of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference is to allow the UK and Irish Governments to consider non-devolved issues related to Northern Ireland and other matters of mutual interest," he continued. "From its very inception, it was made clear that the conference would not consider devolved areas like abortion."

It is clear that Stella Creasy and other politicians have attempted to hijack and manipulate these talks to push an extreme and unrelenting abortion agenda onto Northern Ireland.

In a revelation that caused controversy, a Northern Ireland peer Lord Maginnis was wrongly listed as one of 170-plus politicians who signed the pro-abortion letter. Lord Maginnis hit out at the inclusion of his name. When asked if he had contacted Ms Creasy or been contacted by her following the letter's publication, he said he "neither wants to see or speak to Miss Creasy" as he is "very angry".

Cabinet ministers should “walk away” from today’s intergovernmental conference if there is any attempt by Dublin to press for discussions on devolved issues, TUV leader Jim Allister has said. “They need to be very clear, emphatic and robust about this issue, as it goes to the heart of the constitutional integrity of this country," he said.

There's still time to contact your politicians! Find contact details below!

  • Tell your elected representatives to uphold and respect the right to life and Northern Ireland's pro-life laws! We are asking you to urgently contact:
  • Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach and Leader of Fine Gael, Dublin West: call 016194000 or email leo.varadkar@oir.ie
  • Constituency address: 

37A Main Street 

Ongar

Dublin 15
contact details:
(01) 640 3133
(01) 704 3630
(01) 618 2031
leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie

 

  • Theresa May, British Prime Minister: 

Rt Hon Theresa May MP, 

House of Commons, London,

SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 5206
Fax: 020 7219 1145
Email: mayt@parliament.uk

 

Along with your local politicians who can be contacted via:

 

 

 

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