PR: Precious Life welcome the clear statement made by Conservative MPs that abortion is a devolved issue in NI
Northern Ireland's leading pro-life group Precious Life welcome the clear statement made by Conservative MPs Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt that the ban on abortion in Northern Ireland will remain in place (2 July). Mr Johnson, the clear leadership favourite, told hustings of local Conservatives that only the Northern Ireland Assembly should consider changes to the law on abortion in Northern Ireland. He said, "This is for the people of Northern Ireland and their politicians”. Mr Hunt said he would back liberalisation but added: “This is a devolved matter and I think the best way to resolve this is to get the assembly back up and running."
Bernadette Smyth spokesperson for Precious Life said: "We welcome the clear statement made by Conservatives MPs Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hurt that the ban on abortion in Northern Ireland will remain in place."
She went on to say, "Abortion is a devolved issue and the people of Northern Ireland, along with their elected political representatives, have repeatedly rejected the liberalisation of abortion. In 2016, Precious Life presented 300,000 petitions to Stormont calling for the protection of unborn babies and their mothers from abortion. Our current campaign, Lobby for Life, is obtaining hundreds of new signatures every week from the citizens of Northern Ireland demanding that Westminster respect devolution, our democratic process and our cultural respect for every life, born and unborn."
She concluded, "The law in Northern Ireland protects the life, health and dignity of women and unborn children. We, the people of NI, want to keep it that way.”