Peadar Toibin: On abortion Sinn Fein has dumped its policy that London should not legislate for any part of Ireland

I say forced, because every opinion poll in the north stated that the majority of men and women sought that the issue of abortion would be decided, not in London but in the north of Ireland.

It was not just public opinion that held this view.

Legally it was a devolved matter.

It was for the elected representatives of the north to decide.

Astonishingly Sinn Féin dumped its policy that London should not legislate for any part of Ireland and openly lobbied for Westminster to legislate for abortion on demand in the north.

This was a radical change.

For the first time in 200 years of republicanism, its leadership went cap in hand to London and demanded that it legislate for Ireland over the heads and against the will of the people.

Equally amazingly the SDLP, which still pretends to be a pro-life party, saw its leadership openly lobby for abortion to be introduced into the north of Ireland via Westminster.

Yesterday the Sinn Fein mayor of Belfast stated in relation to Coronavirus “Every Life Matters”.

The hypocrisy is breath taking.

The abortion law that Sinn Féin helped introduce will directly end thousands of lives.#

The right to life is a human right.

It is the most important human right that anyone of us have.

With out the right to life no other human right can be guaranteed.

The current crisis has seen society radically change its behaviour, to protect the lives of the most vulnerable.

This is something that we in Aontú have always understood.

Sometimes we all have to limit our personal choice and autonomy to protect the lives of others.

The slogan “my body, my choice” rings particularly hollow now when we realise that in reality we are all in this together.

Aontú will continue to fight for life.

We will continue to fight for human rights.

We will continue to fight for the equality for every living individual human being.

We will continue to oppose Sinn Féin and the SDLP’s efforts to facilitate Westminster’s imposition of law on any part of Ireland.

Peadar Toibin TD, Aontú leader, Dublin