Abortion Filibuster?
The pro-life campaign group, Precious Life, is predicting it will have thousands of supporters at a "Rally for Life" at Stormont tomorrow. Another much smaller pro choice event is expected to take place in the centre of Belfast.
All this activity has been prompted by next week's scheduled debate of an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. An amendment tabled by Labour's Diane Abbott, the Liberal Democrat Evan Harris and others would extend the 1967 Abortion Act here. Another amendment, from Frank Field, argues that the issue should be left to the Stormont Assembly. Abortion is a criminal justice matter so until we get the transfer of justice powers it falls to Westminster, not Stormont.
Reports from Westminster suggest the government may try to "time out" the amendment by using a pricedural motion to push it to the back of the queue. This would be a convenient tactic so far as the Labour whips are concerned, in as much as it would avoid them putting a whip on an issue which is a matter of principle for their backbenchers. Diane Abbott's office hasn't returned my calls, but in a statement she said she was appalled by what she described as the government's "underhand tactics".
Irrespective of the manouvreings at Stormont, Precious Life are pushing ahead with what they are billing as a major rally at Stormont tomorrow. They reckons thousands of people will gather on the hill. Smaller pro choice demos are expected in Belfast, Lisburn and Derry.
We had a bit of a dress rehearsal for the Westminster debate today at Stormont, when the Health Committee heard from pro-life and pro-choice campaigners and the Chief Medical Officer on the topic of the Department of Health's draft guidelines on terminations.
Pro-life doctor Lorraine McDermott told the Committee that the extension of the 1967 Act here would mean 6000 unborn children would be killed every year. The DUP's Tom Buchanan called all abortions "murder" prompting a rebuke from the Family Planning Association's Audrey Simpson for using such an "emotive term".
The thrust of the mainly pro-life Committee seemed to be that the guidelines should be toughened up. Chair Iris Robinson told the Chief Medical Officer Michael McBride that it was important that a clear statement of abortion's illegality should preface the document.
During the often traumatic hearing, Llyn Coles of the Choose Life Ministries fought back tears as she told the Committee about how she had attempted suicide after undergoing an abortion 27 years ago.
With all this in mind, tomorrow's Inside Politics tackles abortion. My guests are two members of the Assembly's United Community group who are anything but united on this topic. South Belfast Alliance MLA Anna Lo has written to MPs in support of extending the 1967 Act here. West Tyrone Independent Health Coalition MLA Dr Kieran Deeny is a member of the Stormont pro-life group who will be attending tomorrow's rally.
You can hear them debate the arguments around the Westminster amendment on Inside Politics tomorrow at 12.45pm
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