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MPS IN WESTMINSTER have voted to back an amendment that would extend same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland unless power-sharing is restored by 21 October 2019.
MPs also voted overwhelmingly for an amendment to liberalise abortion law in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is currently the only part of the UK where abortion is not available in the vast majority of cases.
It’s currently illegal for a woman in the North to get an abortion unless there’s a risk to her life or a serious risk to her mental health. This differs from the rest of the UK where abortion without restriction is allowed up to 24 weeks.
The amendments were part of a bill to ensure the continued governance of Northern Ireland in the absence of the power-sharing executive.
The same-sex amendment was backed by 383 votes to 73. The abortion amendment, which was proposed by Labour MP Stella Creasy, was passed by 332 to 99.
Submitted by Labour MP Conor McGinn, the amendment was chosen earlier today by the Speaker’s Office.
In a statement following the vote, McGinn said: “This a fantastic victory of the Love Equality campaign and everyone who has campaigned for many years for equal marriage in Northern Ireland.”
“I hope to see the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly restored and working by 21st October, so that they can take the decision to introduce equal marriage. But if Stormont isn’t functioning by then, the LGBT community in Northern Ireland now know that Westminster will act to ensure equality and respect for all citizens,” he added.
The DUP voted against both amendments. However, two MPs – Gavin Robinson and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson – were tellers, so did not vote.
The party has not yet publicly commented on the vote. However, ahead of the votes, Nigel Dodds told the House of Commons that the proposals drove “a coach and horses through the principle of devolution”.
The party has consistently opposed both the introduction of same-sex marriage and abortion to Northern Ireland.
In a statement today, Sinn Féin MP Elisha McCallion said: “Marriage equality, like Irish language rights, victims and women’s rights should be addressed by the Assembly.”
“They have not been because rights have been repeatedly vetoed by the DUP, enabled by the British Government,” she added. “It was inevitable that the British Government’s failure to defend basic rights available everywhere else on these islands would be confronted. This was the message coming out of Westminster today.”
“Today is a good day for Northern Ireland and for our LGBT+ community,” SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said in a statement.
“After decades of discrimination, intolerance and abuse, often at the hands of the state, we have at last taken a step toward recognising the love of LGBT+ people as equal to that of anyone else. This is a watershed moment,” he said.
On Twitter, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long thanked “all who kept NI women’s rights on the agenda”.
In a statement, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín, whose party is active on both sides of the border, called the vote an “attack on democracy”.
“It is outrageous that British politicians with no democratic mandates in Ireland should seek to change this law in the north of Ireland,” he said.
“The referendum on the Eighth Amendment and the subsequent legislation were difficult for many of us but at least it was a democratic process,” Tóibín added.
Following the passing of the 2015 marriage equality referendum in Ireland, campaigners and activists have tried to increase pressure on UK politicians to legislate for same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland.
Similarly, following the vote to repeal the eighth amendment last year campaigners on both sides of the border had promised that “the North is next”.
The two candidates for Conservative leader both offered ambivalent responses to the questions of abortion and same-sex marriage.
When asked about whether Westminster would legalise for more liberal abortion laws and same-sex marriage, Jeremy Hunt said: “If I was Northern Irish, I would want those changed.”
He added that “consensus in the province” was needed to move forward.
“I sincerely hope the law does change, but you need an element of social consent… All I was say is that opinions change, and change dramatically,” he said.
Johnson said that it was a matter for Northern Ireland, and encouraged those elected to the Stormont Assembly to come to an agreement.
“The forum to solve these difficult political questions” was Stormont, he said.
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That will get the DUP to quickly establish power sharing. Shame their hate of same sex marriage will be their driver to reinstate government
@Aengus O Connor: Hold on there, won’t the DUP still have the balance of Power at Westminster? So , they will work on Boris to slow things.
@Eugene Comaskey: Kinda like how Fianna Fáil do things here… Con & Supply.
@ObsidianShine: Not just scaring the DUP. What about SF? Expulsions and so on
@Aengus O Connor: an absolute master stroke , wrong foots the DUP clowns
@Aengus O Connor: The DUP are balanced and consistent. They have a chip on both shoulders and hate non DUP members with equal venom.
@Aengus O Connor: also shame on SF to leave it to Westminster to enact progressive government in NI
@alan: Ya what now?
@the-baldie-lad: Yeah cause they can just go and enact legislation all on their own… Bad SF.. Bad! Go to your room!
Arlene is gonna love this.
Will there be cake?
@Matthew Gorman: for Bert and Ernie only
@Matthew Gorman: I tip my brim to you sir.
@Matthew Gorman: no the Baker is on strike
@wicklarunner: thanks.
@wicklarunner: *rim
Thanks @Matthew Gorman: Comment if the week.
@Conrad Shields: I miss comment of the week.
And for the week thats in it. Happy 12th July!!
@will stamp: Tis glorious!
That’s throwing the gauntlet down for the DUP!!
That’s 1 way of frightening them into doing a bit of work…
Great news.. if they cant govern themselves let the grown ups do it for them..
@StrontiumDon 71: ah jaysus, calling the house of commons grown ups is stretching it a fair bit
@Fear Uisce: I’m sure he only meant it comparatively
@Dave O’Keeffe: yep. They may be hostile but at least they talk to each other.
@Fear Uisce: they are a bit more grown up than some of our own, just look at the Kerry clowns…
@Dave O’Keeffe: fair enough, I’d have to agree
@Gus Sheridan: I’d rate the Kerry clowns higher than the Tipperary clowns to be honest.
Glad to hear that
Yay the Dinosaurs Party the DUP must be livid right now. Watch Westminster take back more and more power’s and MLA’s lose their jobs.
@Mick McGuinness: all the MLAS SHOULD GET THERE P45S
Brilliant! NI being dragged out of the 1690’s to the 21st century! DUP are not going to be happy bunnies! If they don’t go back into PowerSharing it’s going to happen. With the deadline before Brexit is expected, it’s a real cat among the pigeons! Delighted people will be freer.
Amazing what can be achieved WITHOUT a government
About time
Ha ha, take that Arelyn. Although the conspiracy theorist in me wonders if the DUP new that the majority of the public wanted this and would demand it sooner or later. Getting Westminster to bring it in saves them face with their hardline supporters. But hey, if it comes in, a win is a win.
@Devilsavocado: bang on. You have it in one there mate.
What’s Arlene, the ould bag, got to say on this. Her fellow brits in London eh
Surely sf won’t go back now seeing they can land this
@The number 78: get it. Silly me
Good news for all. :)
8 DUP and 65 Tories voted against. Hopefully this will move thing on in NI!!
Reports coming in that Arlene Foster has just exploded with rage! The DUP are on the wrong side of history. The Dam is breaking.They need to change their tagline to “Our way of life under threat”. Equality is their enemy.
Usually when I see the Journal alert I think oh no more bad news. But this is great! About time someone stood up to the madness of no power sharing, no same sex marriage and no abortion.
Nice one about time
Wow! The people in NI must be delighted with their public representation.
These are issues that SF hold a red line on. If the DUP want to go back into power-sharing, liberalised abortion laws and same-sex marriage must be brought in. If they refuse, then the UK government brings them in anyway. It’s pretty much guaranteed now. The only issues remaining for power-sharing to get back up and running are the Cash-for-Ash scandal and the Irish Language Act. And Linda Ervine of the loyalist community and the Turas Project is doing her best to get Unionists and Loyalists on board that issue, too. This is all fantastic!
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: A great day for the parish!
Oh this is fantastic! The only time I’ll ever be glad about the UK making a ruling for the North hehe
Nach iontach an scéal é
@Séan Ó Nuanáin: agus annamh
That’ll piss off the DUP for sure!
They hate both options! :-))
Nice one about time
Marriage is between a man and a woman.
@Mike Conway: That is soooo 2014.
@Mike Conway: it isn’t in the Republic x
@Mike Conway: 2 consenting adults is all it takes. Not sure where you get your definition.
Nice one about time
Wow …
Great news! Hopefully it comes to pass.
The new coalition of Aontu and the DUP is an exciting prospect for the people of the six counties
@Gerry Ryan: Hahaha… I can just see Peadar in the sash and bowler hat now.
DUP will p *ss fire over this!
Haha that will get the DUP dinosaurs knickers in a real twist!
If they were put to a referendum in the north I wonder would they be passed. The sinn Fein voter in the north are different to the ones down here.
There was a few sinn fein voters not entirely happy with the party’s stance on abortion who deserted them in the local elections.
Brilliant news!
@Mr.Misery: if they add in a United Ireland it’ll make my day
@Mr.Misery: no way, we couldn’t afford that, we can’t even look after our own, maybe in a century or two
@Gus Sheridan: Who said we would have to pay for it did ya ever hear of east and west Germany the EU and of course the UK who caused the problem in first place would have to subsidize it for a certain period of time. We didnt mind borrowing billions to beal out unscured bond holders im sure we can come with a few more billion to reunite a country what most true Irish men and women want.
@Seamus Donnelly: Don’t be talking sense now Seamus!
Love Island for Arlene now
Arlene and her merry orange men worship King Billy,William has a fondness for men.hypocrites
Gauntlet thrown.
Paisley be spinning in his grave.
About f****** time. How is this not a thing there already??
Shame and disgrace on the NI Assembly, particularly DUP (this is not the cause of SF bigotry).
All that needs to happen is for SF to refuse to return to assembly until that point!!! Fair play to the UK Government on this one.
@Black Tears: Not the UK government, the parliament. It was an opposition Bill.
It took the 26 counties 93 yrs to bring about same sex marriage . The DUP view on same sex marriage is no different to your parents and your grand parents . Reading the comments on here it’s obvious that many people see that same sex marriage as is just a way of getting one up on the DUP .
Arlene be snappin’
Weren’t SF members of the assembly elected on an anti-abortion platform?
@Mark Hayden: no, they weren’t.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: you’re right, their manifesto didn’t mention the subject at all
@Mark Hayden: their manifesto did mention it. Their party has expressed support for it at numerous Ard-Fheiseanna over the last few years. Their policy is also a singular all-island policy enforced by a whip system which is why Peadar Tóibín was sanctioned prior to his leaving Sinn Féin over his vocal stance on the issue and his voting on the issue.
This is like bringing a keg of beer into an alcoholics anonymous meeting. Arlene will get back in there like a whippet with a fire in its bum and make a government. Nothing makes a person more motivated than there own intolerance and hatred
This will never happen. DUP hold balance in Westminster so expect them to get the Torys in line and bat this away. Until there is a GE in the UK and the DUP are propping a government dont expect anything they dont like to be implemented up north.
Is this a clever ploy by the Conservatives to keep Sinn Fein out of Stormont for the foreseeable so that they can’t influence Brexit?
I might be over thinking it tho!!
@Andy Dwyer: considering it was a Labour motion I doubt it.
Westminster voted to give Northern Ireland equal marriage, IF the Stormont assembly is not in place by 21st October. I wouldn’t count on it yet. If the assembly gets up and running again, DUP will just resort to Petition Of Concern and kill everyone’s hopes of a better society.
About time. How much more backwards could they be?
Westminster voted to give Northern Ireland equal marriage, IF the Stormont assembly is not in place by 21st October. I wouldn’t count on it yet. If the assembly gets up and running again, DUP will just resort to Petition Of Concern and kill everyone’s hopes.
@Andrea Brown: The only way it gets up and running is if the DUP agree to SF red lines, including marriage equality and an Irish language act.
So do this mean either Acht Gaeilge or same sex marriage? Either one will be excellent news.
Westminster giving NI same sexy marriage will just secure NI position in the union stronger .
Same sex marriage as gaelige so?
have your say