The assembly still exists and could decide on abortion

However assembly meetings have been suspended. I say “assembly meetings” because the assembly itself still exists.

Indeed all its members are still paid a salary and hopefully are still carrying on constituency work.

It is the executive which has collapsed, not the assembly.

Given that abortion and other issues impinging on individual conscience have never been subject to executive decision and indeed are regarded as outside party politics and party whipping, why should the assembly not be reconvened purely to debate and decide whether to call a referendum of the Northern Ireland electorate on this one issue?

As well as no party whipping there should of course be no question of permitting any ‘petition of concern’ in this case.

It is simply unacceptable to ignore the remarkable referendum result in the south, especially in view of the long-standing difference between Northern Ireland and Great Britain on this important matter.

Carrying on as if nothing had happened is not an option.

Denis Loretto, London SE1