Home Page
About Us
What we do
News
Campaigns & Events
Abortion in N. Ireland
Resources
"I need help..."
Make a Donation
Find us on Facebook
31 / 10 / 2008 - New Motion to Legalise Abortion in N. Ireland dismissed as a "Publicity Stunt"
Precious Life have dismissed as a "publicity stunt" the tabling of a new motion in Westminster calling for abortion to be legalised in Northern Ireland.
The early day motion entitled "Abortion rights in Northern Ireland" has been tabled (30 October) by Labour MP, Diane Abbott. Earlier this year (23 July) she also tabled an amendment to extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. However, her amendment failed to be be debated in Westminster on 22nd October because of the pro-life opposition from Northern Ireland.
Early day motions are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons. However, there is very little prospect of them being debated. Instead, they are used for publicising the views of individual MPs, or drawing attention to specific campaigns.
In a statement to the media, Director of Precious Life Bernadette Smyth said, "This motion must be dismissed out of hand for what it really is - a publicity stunt. Thousands of early day motions are tabled during every session of Parliament with virtually no prospect of ever being debated. This is simply Diane Abbott's effort to save face after the defeat of her plans to extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland."
"Even the title of her motion is a misnomer. There no such thing as 'abortion rights' and killing an unborn child is certainly never a 'right'. Even the 1967 Abortion Act does not refer to abortion as a 'right.' In fact, in all parts of the UK, killing an unborn child is still a criminal offence, except for the abortionists who - protected by the '67 Act - kill 600 babies every day" she said.
She added, "Less than two weeks ago, thousands of people attended our Rally For Life at Stormont to stand united with our politicians and churches in opposing abortion. Northern Ireland has sent out a clear message that we do not want abortion imposed on us from Westminster. We want our unborn children and their mothers protected from abortion."
Bernadette Smyth concluded, "Diane Abbott is still arrogantly ignoring the clear pro-life message from our politicians, church leaders, and our people. My message to Diane Abbott is butt out of Northern Ireland and stop interfering in our laws that protect our unborn children."
[BACK TO NEWS HEADLINES]
The early day motion entitled "Abortion rights in Northern Ireland" has been tabled (30 October) by Labour MP, Diane Abbott. Earlier this year (23 July) she also tabled an amendment to extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. However, her amendment failed to be be debated in Westminster on 22nd October because of the pro-life opposition from Northern Ireland.
Early day motions are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons. However, there is very little prospect of them being debated. Instead, they are used for publicising the views of individual MPs, or drawing attention to specific campaigns.
In a statement to the media, Director of Precious Life Bernadette Smyth said, "This motion must be dismissed out of hand for what it really is - a publicity stunt. Thousands of early day motions are tabled during every session of Parliament with virtually no prospect of ever being debated. This is simply Diane Abbott's effort to save face after the defeat of her plans to extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland."
"Even the title of her motion is a misnomer. There no such thing as 'abortion rights' and killing an unborn child is certainly never a 'right'. Even the 1967 Abortion Act does not refer to abortion as a 'right.' In fact, in all parts of the UK, killing an unborn child is still a criminal offence, except for the abortionists who - protected by the '67 Act - kill 600 babies every day" she said.
She added, "Less than two weeks ago, thousands of people attended our Rally For Life at Stormont to stand united with our politicians and churches in opposing abortion. Northern Ireland has sent out a clear message that we do not want abortion imposed on us from Westminster. We want our unborn children and their mothers protected from abortion."
Bernadette Smyth concluded, "Diane Abbott is still arrogantly ignoring the clear pro-life message from our politicians, church leaders, and our people. My message to Diane Abbott is butt out of Northern Ireland and stop interfering in our laws that protect our unborn children."