Ministers have been accused of putting the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) before domestic violence victims after it was claimed plans to reform abortion laws in Northern Ireland had been restricted for fear of angering them.
Labour MP Stella Creasy had intended to put down an amendment to the draft Domestic Abuse Bill, but she said the scope of it had been restricted – a technical move that prevents her from bringing her reforms forward.
Northern Ireland has a ban on abortions in almost all cases – even rape or incest. Theresa May has come under pressure to give MPs a free vote on the issue after abortion was legalised in the Republic of Ireland following a referendum last May.
But the DUP, which the Prime Minister relies on for a majority in Parliament, is vocal in its staunch opposition to women accessing abortions.
Ms Creasy tweeted on Sunday: “This government cares more about the DUP than domestic violence. Proof (is that) they’ve restricted scope of Domestic Abuse Bill to try to prevent abortion reform in Northern Ireland.
“Won’t just affect Northern Ireland but all VAWG (violence against women and girls) – (I am) asking every MP to join me ensuring this scam won’t work.”
Fellow Labour MP Jess Phillips echoed her remarks, urging that the Domestic Abuse Bill must not be used as a “tool to appease the DUP” because this would “undermine the safety of victims from across the UK”.
“If women and children in my constituency are less safe because the government cannot bear to face a vote on women’s rights in NI then they fail all of us,” she added.
The Sunday Times reported that a measure that would have given Westminster jurisdiction over abortion laws in the bill has been dropped. A Cabinet Office source told the newspaper: “A bright civil servant foresaw the potential for the legislation to cause problems for the DUP.”
The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), the UK’s largest abortion provider, said: “The idea that the government would sacrifice the rights of Northern Irish women for the votes of 10 DUP MPs is absolutely appalling.”
The Abortion Act of 1967 means terminating pregnancies is legal in England, Wales and Scotland, but it is largely prohibited in Northern Ireland through section 58 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.
When approached by The Independent, a Home Office spokesperson said that whether particular amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill on abortion or otherwise were in scope would be a matter for the House authorities once the Bill was introduced.
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