Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 Debate

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Baroness Burt of Solihull

Main Page: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020

Baroness Burt of Solihull Excerpts
Monday 15th June 2020

(4 years, 6 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Burt of Solihull Portrait Baroness Burt of Solihull (LD)
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My Lords, in all my dealings with the DUP—social and otherwise—it has always struck me just how much it values being a full part of the United Kingdom. Its loyalty to Britain and the Queen is beyond doubt, yet today it tries to deny Northern Ireland women the same rights as women in the rest of the United Kingdom. Why does it not believe in equal rights for everyone in the United Kingdom?

Not having equal human rights in Northern Ireland contravenes the Istanbul convention and has been used by several Governments as an excuse for holding back ratification. Will the Government finally, eight years after signing it, now please ratify the Istanbul convention?