Abortion: outrage at diktat for Northern Ireland

The UK government has taken unprecedented and controversial steps in an attempt to force Stormont to implement new abortion laws.

In March 2020, abortion law in Northern Ireland (NI) changed allowing terminations for any reason during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and thereafter only in certain cases. No limit has been placed in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities.

The new laws were imposed on the region during the collapse of the power-sharing institutions, but the NI executive has refused to take action commissioning abortion services consistent with the regulations. Central government has responded by granting the NI secretary Brandon Lewis powers to impose a statutory duty on NI ministers and relevant authorities to ensure full local access to abortions.