Urgent action alert – Serious threat in Lords this afternoon. Please email a Peer now.

Pro-abortion campaigner Baroness Barker and colleagues have brought forward a series of amendments (12,19, 21 and 24) to the Northern Ireland Bill in the Lords which will make Stella Creasy’s abortion amendments from the Commons far worse.

If these amendments pass, abortion on demand, for any reason, up to 28 weeks will be introduced to Northern Ireland. Thousands of lives are likely to be lost.

These amendments are likely to be voted on within hours.

Please use the function below to take 30-seconds to write to a Peer asking them to vote against the Barker amendments this afternoon.

Click here to email a Peer now

Once you have emailed a Peer, please urgently get friends and family to do the same.

Two-thirds Tory Councillors oppose Gov move to force abortion on Norther Ireland

New polling has revealed that two-thirds of Conservative councillors (67%) support abortion remaining a devolved matter for Northern Ireland, and believe that it should be up to politicians in Northern Ireland to decide whether to change the law on this issue. 

The ComRes poll is thought to be broadly representative of voting sentiment among grassroots Conservatives and indicates that there is very little support from Conservative party members to impose abortion on Northern Ireland from Westminster. 

The poll also showed the highest support for respecting devolution on this issue from the devolved regions (Wales and Scotland), with 86% supporting abortion being a devolved matter for politicians in Northern Ireland to decide.

The poll comes as Theresa May’s Government faces a major backlash from Northern Ireland against the Government’s plan to redraft the abortion clause in the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill to introduce an extreme change to abortion law, likely ushering into Northern Ireland the most extreme abortion law in Europe. 

This move appears to signal an end to the Conservative Party’s long standing neutral policy in regard to abortion. It also appears to be a departure from the Government’s position on respecting devolution.

The polling also reflects sentiment among the public in Northern Ireland with previous polling showing that a strong majority of women (66%) reject interference from Westminster on this sensitive issue, agreeing that this was a decision for Northern Ireland. The strongest support among age groups surveyed came from the youngest age group, 18-34 year olds, with 70% agreeing that they did not want abortion law imposed on Northern Ireland from Westminster.

Clare McCarthy from Right To Life said:

“The new polling clearly shows that the Government scrapping their long-held position of neutrality on abortion and drafting secondary legislation to impose abortion on Northern Ireland will be very unpopular among the Conservative Party membership. This shows that there is very strong support for respecting devolution and that any changes in Northern Ireland’s abortion laws should be made in Northern Ireland, not imposed by Westminster. 

“Moreover, this polling echoes previous polling of Northern Irish people, with two-thirds of women rejecting interference from Westminster, believing that this is a decision for Northern Ireland.

“It is a reminder to the Government in Westminster that abortion remains a devolved issue in Northern Ireland. They have no mandate from the people of Northern Ireland to make any changes to Northern Ireland’s laws on abortion and all laws and policy regarding that issue should be decided by the people of Northern Ireland through their elected representatives.”

(Photo credit AdobeStock: Marco Govel)

Northern Irish? Please sign open letter to the PM today

Baroness O’Loan has today launched an open letter to the Prime Minister that highlights the constitutional abuses that have taken place resulting in Stella Creasy’s abortion amendment to the Northern Ireland Bill.

It calls on the Government to either withdraw the Bill recognising that the way it has been changed is unconstitutional or to back Baroness O’Loan’s amendment (23), which would prevent legislation from taking effect unless it was agreed by a majority of Northern Irish Assembly Members (MLAs).

PLEASE HELP GET NAMES ON THE LETTER

Baroness O’Loan has asked that as many people as possible from Northern Ireland sign the letter ahead of the Committee Stage of the Bill on Monday.

If you are from Northern Ireland, please click the button below to sign the letter.

If you are not from Northern Ireland, please help Baroness O’Loan get more names on the letter by asking friends and family in Northern Ireland to sign the letter.

Click here to add your name to the letter now

Find out how your MP voted on the extreme abortion vote

As you may have heard, the abortion amendment (NC10) that was brought forward to the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill was passed by 332 – 99.

If the amendment is successful in forcing the UK Government to remove sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against The Person Act, this would introduce abortion on demand, for any reason, up to 28 weeks to Northern Ireland.

This could also have repercussions for the operation of sections 58 and 59 in England and Wales, possibly resulting in widespread changes to abortion legislation in these parts of the UK, removing almost all legal safeguards around abortion.

You can see how your MP voted by using the function we have set-up on our website by clicking the button below.

You will also have the option of sending a short letter to your MP to thank them if they voted the right way and to let them know your disappointment if they voted the wrong way. Giving this feedback to your MP is very important as it could impact how they vote on abortion in the future. 

Click here to find out how your MP voted