Labour MPs to press May for Commons vote on Northern Ireland abortion ban

Labour MPs to press May for Commons vote on Northern Ireland abortion ban
Diana Johnson to table bill aimed at forcing government into allowing proper Commons vote

Dan Sabbagh
Sun 21 Oct 2018

Labour MPs will increase the pressure to end Northern Ireland’s highly restrictive Victorian-era abortion laws this week in a series of Commons votes designed to push the UK government into action.

Diana Johnson, the Hull North MP, will introduce a backbench bill on Tuesday calling for a repeal of the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, which criminalised any woman seeking an abortion with a theoretical maximum term of life imprisonment.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/oct/21/northern-ireland-abortion-ban-commons-vote-labour-diana-johnson

UK – Allowing women to take the abortion pill at home would be a great first step for Matt Hancock – and for the NHS

Allowing women to take the abortion pill at home would be a great first step for Matt Hancock – and for the NHS
Women, after taking the pill in a clinic, have to race home before their miscarriage starts. They often suffer heavy bleeding and cramping before they get there

Rachael Revesz
July 22, 2018

Let’s get straight to the point. Women need the new health secretary, Matt Hancock, to act now.

If he wants to reverse the damage caused by his predecessor to women’s health and to the NHS in general, he needs to move quickly. Another cabinet reshuffle is only around the corner.

Continued: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/matt-hancock-health-secretary-abortion-pills-at-home-legal-law-nhs-a8458511.html

UK – 50 MPs Call For Women In England To Be Able To Take Abortion Pills At Home

50 MPs Call For Women In England To Be Able To Take Abortion Pills At Home
Women can begin to miscarry on their way home from clinics, under current regulations.

By Nicola Slawson
July 16, 2018

MPs are calling on the new health and social care secretary to allow women in England to take the second pill required for an abortion at home.

In a letter, which has gained cross-party support from more than 50 MPs, Matt Hancock has been urged to remove the restriction, which requires women to take both drugs (mifepristone and misoprostol) at a licensed clinic or hospital.

Continued: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/more-than-50-mps-urge-matt-hancock-to-let-women-in-england-take-abortion-pills-at-home_uk_5b4c6c91e4b0e7c958fd04be

Abortion campaigners target Sajid Javid over Northern Ireland

Abortion campaigners target Sajid Javid over Northern Ireland
Pro-choice MPs seek to put down amendment to grant right to access terminations

Rajeev Syal
Mon 11 Jun 2018

Sajid Javid will come under pressure from a crossbench group of MPs to bring forward a bill that would allow reformers to decriminalise abortion in Northern Ireland.

More than 30 MPs have pledged to send the home secretary written questions on Monday demanding the domestic abuse bill be brought before parliament by the autumn. This would allow pro-choice MPs to put down an amendment that would give women in Northern Ireland the right to access terminations.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/11/abortion-campaigners-target-sajid-javid-over-northern-ireland

UK – MPs emergency debate on abortion in Northern Ireland – ‘inappropriate’ for Westminster to intervene, says Karen Bradley

Live updates: MPs emergency debate on abortion in Northern Ireland - 'inappropriate' for Westminster to intervene, says Karen Bradley

June 5 2018

MPs are debating repealing sections of a 150-year-old law that criminalises abortion.

The emergency debate will discuss repealing parts of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 on Tuesday following an application from Labour MP Stella Creasy.

It follows last month's landslide vote in Ireland to liberalise its termination laws.

Continued https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/live-updates-mps-emergency-debate-on-abortion-in-northern-ireland-inappropriate-for-westminster-to-intervene-says-karen-bradley-36979241.html

MPs step up pressure for Northern Ireland abortion reform

MPs step up pressure for Northern Ireland abortion reform
Cross-party calls for backing on plan to force May to intervene

Michael Savage
Sat 2 Jun 2018

MPs are being canvassed to back a plan to force through measures liberalising abortion in Northern Ireland, it has emerged.

A cross-party coalition has drawn up a proposal that would force Theresa May into taking action. Some of the most senior women in the Tory party are said to be supportive of the campaign following the landslide result in Ireland’s referendum in favour of ending its near total ban on abortion.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/02/mps-urged-back-forced-liberalisation-abortion-northern-ireland

Tory deputy chair attacks MPs over Northern Ireland abortion law

Tory deputy chair attacks MPs over Northern Ireland abortion law
James Cleverly says calls for Westminster to legislate in Northern Ireland are ‘party political game playing’

Jessica Elgot and Peter Walker
Wed 30 May 2018

Conservative party deputy chair James Cleverly has hit out at MPs campaigning for a change in Northern Irish abortion law, accusing Labour of exploiting the issue for party political gain.

Cleverly made his attack despite the fact that at least 13 female Conservative MPs have publicly supported a change to the law in Northern Ireland, which has some of the most restrictive rules on abortion in the world.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/30/tory-deputy-chair-attacks-mps-over-northern-ireland-abortion-law