Northern Ireland politicians launch last-minute bid to stop decriminalisation of abortion

Anti-abortion assembly members in Northern Ireland have launched a last-minute bid to thwart the decriminalisation of terminations.

Politicians have returned to the Northern Irish assembly for the first time in almost three years with MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) recalled in a last effort to stop abortion law changes.

Abortion and same-sex marriage are expected to become legal at the stroke of midnight tonight following decades of campaigning by women's rights and gay rights activists.

The proceedings at the Stormont Assembly were triggered with a petition started by unionist parties who are opposed to the liberalisation of abortion and marriage laws.

But MLAs who showed up at the assembly have been told the chamber "cannot do any business" until a speaker is elected with cross-community backing.

At the start of today's proceedings, there was a bid by anti-abortion MLAs to fast-track a piece of private members' legislation through in a single day to thwart the abortion reform.

DUP Paul Givan urged the suspension of standing orders to enable the bill to be considered.

However, current speaker Robin Newton said a new speaker would need to be in place before the assembly could turn to such a legislative bid.

Mr Newton said a further sitting of the assembly would be required to consider the bill and highlighted that the suspension of standing orders required cross-community support.

He said it was "not good practice" to take a piece of legislation through in one day.

"The assembly cannot do any business until a speaker and deputy speakers are elected," he said.

Mr Givan insisted that advice from attorney general Mr Larkin indicated that standing orders could be suspended to allow the legislation to be considered.

While rival MLAs have branded proceedings a meaningless stunt, the members who signed the recall petition insisted it would provide a forum to voice opposition to the imminent decriminalisation of abortion.

Unionist members attended, but Sinn Fein said it would not turn up to a sitting it has described as a circus.

SDLP members did attend, but leader Colum Eastwood said his party would not support a speaker if an executive was not formed.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that does not allow same-sex marriage. Also, unlike England, Scotland and Wales, laws in Northern Ireland forbid abortion except where a mother's life is at risk.

These bans have been upheld by the region's bloc of conservative politicians.

But an overwhelming vote in July to compel the government in London to overhaul the laws if Belfast's devolved executive had not been restored by Oct 21 is set to kick in.

Advocacy groups have planned a number of events on Monday to usher in the changes, believing there was little to no hope of politicians ending the local parliament's near three-year hiatus.

"We are not going to stick with the guilt and the shame any longer. Tomorrow the law changes in this place, and for the first time in Northern Ireland, women will be free," pro-choice campaigner Dawn Purvis told a public meeting in Belfast.

"Free to choose if, when and how many children they will have in the care of health-care professionals. This is a very emotional day for many here."

Abortion rights were long opposed in Northern Ireland by religious conservatives in both the Protestant community that supports continued British rule and the Catholic community that favours union with the traditionally Catholic Irish Republic.

Pressure has mounted, however, to change the Victorian-era laws in recent years, particularly after the neighbouring Irish Republic voted overwhelmingly last year to repeal a similarly restrictive ban - demonstrating a stark change in attitudes on an island once known for its religious conservatism.

If a new devolved government is not formed by midnight, abortion will be decriminalised, beginning a consultation on what the framework for services should look like, which is due to be finalised and approved by March 2020.

Dawn McAvoy, from the anti-abortion Both Lives Matter group, said: "This is a bad law being implemented through a bad process leading to bad consequences for both women and unborn children."

Once the 19th-century laws that criminalise abortion lapse at midnight, the government will assume responsibility for introducing new regulations to provide greater access to terminations in the region by next April.

In the interim period, women will be offered free transport to access abortion services in England.

Opinion has also changed on same-sex marriage. But despite opinion polls showing most in the region in favour, previous attempts to follow the Irish Republic in legalising it have been blocked by the socially conservative Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), using a special veto intended to prevent discrimination towards one community over another.

It will take the British Parliament until mid-January to bring in the new legislation, setting up Valentine's Day 2020 as the first opportunity for same-sex couples to marry once they give the required 28-days' notice.

Under the act, same-sex marriage will become legal in Northern Ireland in January, with the first wedding expected the following month.

The law changes regarding abortion and marriage could only be stopped if the crisis-hit devolved executive is revived prior to the midnight deadline - a turn of events that is extremely unlikely.

With the rift between erstwhile coalition partners the DUP and Sinn Fein over issues such as Irish language legislation as wide as ever, a deal to restore power sharing still looks a long way off.

Pro-choice activists held aloft cardboard letters spelling out "decriminalised" in front of Parliament Buildings ahead of the sitting.

Sarah Ewart, who has become a vocal advocate for reform since having to travel to England for an abortion after receiving a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality, welcomed the law change.

"This law change will not fix what I had to go through but it will make it hopefully better for those who follow after me," she said.

Grainne Teggart from Amnesty International said the law change would pave the way for a more "compassionate" system.

"From midnight tonight history will be made, these oppressive laws that have policed our bodies and our healthcare will be brought to an end," she said.

"Finally our rights and our healthcare are being brought into the 21st century."

Anti-abortion activists held up placards stating that the decriminalisation was not in their name.

They also prayed beneath the landmark statue of Sir Edward Carson.

Activist Clive Johnston, from Strabane, warned of the consequences of decriminalisation.

"In today's world the most dangerous place to be is actually in the womb of a woman," he said.

"The Government is culpable in actually taking part in what amounts to the killing of babies in the womb."

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