Call for Commons abortion debate '˜another attempt to bully NI'

Decriminalisation in Great Britain would mean the 1967 Abortion Act was of no relevance, because abortions outside its scope, that are still illegal, would also be legalised.

Repealing the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861 would have that effect, and would then also decriminalise abortion in Northern Ireland.

Liam Gibson, SPUC’s development officer in Northern Ireland, said: “This is yet another attempt to bully Northern Ireland on abortion. Ms Creasy is calling for the repeal of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. This law has saved the lives of 100,000 babies in the Province and cannot simply be dismissed as outdated.

“Abortion was prohibited by the hippocratic oath 500 years before Christ and condemned after World War II as a crime against humanity.

“It is not healthcare. It is an act of lethal violence directed at an unborn child and is never justified.”

Mr Gibson added: “Stella Creasy’s call is a calculated manoeuvre to draw in MPs who have no mandate from the people of Northern Ireland, into a debate aimed at imposing abortion on the Province.

“It also holds extreme dangers for every part of the UK. This shows the utter contempt of the abortion lobby for the democratic structures and the rule of law.”

SPUC will present today a petition of over 10,000 handwritten signatures from people in England and Wales calling on the prime minister to reject decriminalising abortion.

Antonia Tully of SPUC said: “Decriminalising abortion would effectively make the Abortion Act redundant. This is a dangerous move because if abortion is no longer governed by the law we will develop a backstreet abortion culture.”