Supreme Court Ruling: Abortion in Northern Ireland Debate

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Department: Northern Ireland Office

Supreme Court Ruling: Abortion in Northern Ireland

Joanna Cherry Excerpts
Thursday 7th June 2018

(5 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Karen Bradley Portrait Karen Bradley
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There are many views that we all need to consider in the judgment. As I have said, we will spend a significant amount of time looking at the judgment and considering the points that have been made, but I do come back to the point that this matter needs to be dealt with by the politicians who have been elected by the people of Northern Ireland.

Joanna Cherry Portrait Joanna Cherry (Edinburgh South West) (SNP)
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Does the Minister agree that while there has been no declaration of incompatibility on a technicality, and although there is a lot to digest, what is crystal clear is that a majority of the UK Supreme Court has said that, in three crucial respects, the law of Northern Ireland violates women’s article 8 rights. Does she agree that something needs to be done about that as a matter of urgency?

Karen Bradley Portrait Karen Bradley
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Clearly there is much that needs to be done, but it needs to be done in Stormont. That is why locally elected politicians need to come back together to form that devolved Government.