Northern Ireland groups question 'parachute' pro abortion amendment

Charities CARE, LIFE and Evangelical Alliance join growing number of voices opposing Pro-Abortion amendment.

24 July 2008

Northern Ireland based charities, CARE, Life and Evangelical Alliance today expressed profound concern about moves by a group of MPs to extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. An amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill tabled by Dianne Abbot and Dr Evan Harris among others would, if passed, bring about the full extension of the 1967 Act to Northern Ireland.

Speaking today, Stuart Noble, Parliamentary and Development Officer for CARE in Northern Ireland said, "It is extraordinarily arrogant of these MPs – none of whom has a Northern Ireland constituency – to seek to impose the 1967 Act when the Northern Ireland Assembly has made it clear that it does not want it. By seeking to "parachute in" the 1967 Act they are demonstrating a staggering degree of contempt for the citizens of Northern Ireland and their political representatives."

Karen Jardine of Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland commented, "By tabling this amendment these MPs are undermining our fledgling political structures at a time when the newly restored Northern Ireland Assembly is still bedding down. They seem oblivious to the far reaching implications of the changes that they wish to bring about.”

Speaking of her experience of supporting women in crisis pregnancy situations, Life NI's Vivien Hunter noted, "Abortion is not good for women, not good for babies and not good for society. Far from liberating women in Northern Ireland, the 1967 Act will only dramatically increase the number of women and families dealing with the devastating aftermath of abortion."