Abortion Petition Recalls Stormont

MLAs are to return to the Stormont chamber next week for the first time in over 1000 days after a petition to recall the Assembly received the 30 required signatures.

The move comes almost three years since devolved government was suspended and just days before the UK Government is obliged to regulate for abortion access in Northern Ireland.

Pro-life campaign group Both Lives Matter revealed on Thursday that over 30 MLAs have signed the petition, with the NI Assembly Speaker later writing to all parties to request that the Assembly meets on Monday 21 October.

In July, the House of Commons passed legislation obliging the Government to legislate for a relaxation of abortion laws in Northern Ireland unless a Stormont Executive is formed by Monday.

It's understood the signatories were made up of DUP and UUP MLAs, with opposing parties branding the move as a political stunt.

Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn said the "showboating" attempt to restore the Assembly may potentially damage chances of a permanent return.

"Dragging MLAs back into the Assembly on Monday when many of us have spent almost three years trying to restore it, while the outstanding issues remain unresolved, is raising the expectations of the public, only to have them knowingly dashed," Mr Lunn said.

"It appears those wanting to go back on Monday are only doing so to try and deny LGBTQ people and women the rights guaranteed to them in the rest of the UK. I previously attempted to make some modest changes to abortion law here but that was blocked by other parties.

"There is no doubt there are serious issues remaining unresolved. But serious parties would have engaged intensively on resolving them ahead of Monday, instead of grandstanding. Such showboating contributed to the collapse of the institutions and will do nothing to aid their return. Indeed, they may make that more difficult.

"If people are serious about restoration and good governance, they will still be serious on Tuesday."



(JG/MH)