Most people in Northern Ireland oppose Westminster weakening protections for the unborn in the Province.
A poll, weighted to reflect Northern Irish society, revealed a majority of 52 per cent oppose new laws being brought in, with fewer than 40 per cent in favour.
Westminster politicians voted in July to impose abortion on Northern Ireland if the Stormont Assembly has not returned by 21 October.
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22 October 2019 00:00:00 GMT+01:00
Consistent opposition
Belfast pollsters LucidTalk asked 1,424 people in the Province if they agreed with the UK Government’s actions.
More people opposed than supported the changes across both men and women, and across every age group. Some 54 per cent of those aged 18-24 were opposed, as were 63 per cent of those aged 65 and over.
Dawn McAvoy of Both Lives Matter said the results sent a clear message to the Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith that the people of Northern Ireland do not want to see the law changed.
Protecting lives
The Christian Institute’s Northern Ireland Officer Callum Webster welcomed the news, saying: “This poll confirms that the majority of citizens in Northern Ireland do not welcome the interference by MPs from the mainland imposing abortion here.
“The local public see that the current legal framework has protected lives and saved lives. They recognise that abortion is not good healthcare for women and is destructive of human life”.
For more information on abortion, see our Choose Life resources, or read our publication When Does Human Life Begin?
Christian thinking and contemporary opposition
John R Ling
When does human life begin? It is a fundamental and decisive question because your answer reveals your understanding of the nature and status of the human embryo. It also shapes your stance on the big bioethical issues of the day such as abortion, cloning and embryonic stem cell research. There are many voices sowing confusion, but the Bible is unmistakably clear that human life begins at conception. In this booklet, John Ling provides a wide-ranging explanation of biblical truth, the historical Christian perspective and evidence from modern science to support this position.
