Presbyterian Moderator the Rev John Finlay, Church of Ireland Primate Archbishop Alan Harper, Roman Catholic Primate Cardinal Sean Brady and Methodist President the Rev Roy Cooper have asked that MPs take account of the Northern Ireland political parties, and, indeed, of the people of Northern Ireland, by voting against any amendments concerning abortion legislation in Northern Ireland.

The full text of the letter, regarding the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, reads:

“As leaders of the four main churches in Northern Ireland we wish to support the four leaders of the main political parties in asserting that the law on abortion here should be a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

“We feel it is important for the government to respect the wishes of the people of Northern Ireland and allow locally elected MLAs to take the lead on this issue, especially in light of the debate on abortion that took place in October 2007 when all of the main parties in Northern Ireland signalled their opposition to an extension of the 1967 Abortion Act.

“We would ask that, on this issue, MPs take account of the Northern Ireland political parties, and indeed of the people of Northern Ireland, by voting against any amendments concerning abortion legislation in Northern Ireland.

“Last year, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland indicated that he felt the Northern Ireland Assembly is the ‘best forum for discussion of these questions’.

“We wholeheartedly agree with this position and ask that you make every effort to ensure that any future changes to the law on abortion in Northern Ireland are solely the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly. With our best wishes for your work and deliberations.”

The main parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly have expressed broad opposition to the terms of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill and have demanded that they should be allowed to have their say on the issue in the Stormont legislature.

The church leaders’ stance on the matter is accurately reflective of public opinion in the Province and MPs in the Dup, UUP and SDLP ranks are expected to make this clear when the Bill is debated at Westminster.