Westminster votes for NI abortion and gay marriage rights

[ErrolTheDragon]

In today's Times:

Basically if the Stormont assembly isn't restored by Oct 21st, the government will have to change the laws in Northern Ireland to match the rest of the U.K. - there were large majorities for each of the proposals.

Well done Stella Creasy for leading the campaign for women's rights.

MPs vote for abortion and gay marriage

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mps-applaud-landslide-votes-for-abortion-and-gay-marriage-in-northern-ireland-d6w8l3rpj?shareToken=03782f6134c8026b09165dad765195c1

[Thump]

Hi Errol - I see you've commented on my thread and were the only one and nobody has commented on your thread either!
Given how vocal a lot of people have been about these issues I thought they would be happy?
But maybe not??

Anyone from NI care to comment?

[RoseAndRose]

I think this isn't the right way to go about it.

Much as the end result might be desirable, I do not think Westminster should be going anything that is not urgent or necessary.

[Yewtown]

I think this might be the only way. This enables the DUP to save face. The law gets passed and the Never Never brigade had nothing to do with it. In a perfect world Stormont should do it but as everyone knows Norn Iron is far from perfect.

[Thump]

So NI people don't want it? Lol. There's no pleasing some people!

[Thump]

It's a bit disappointing to be honest that I've read tens of threads here about Westminster having the power to impose such freedoms in NI but refusing to do so and now complete silence when they have?

[Nyancat]

When the assembly collapsed a few years ago friends and I had a bet with each other that the parties would wait for Westminster to sort out equal marriage and abortion and then get it back up and running.

That way they can blame Westminster to their constituents at home rather than taking the decisions themselves. Absolutely cowardly, but i'm delighted about yesterday's vote, just disgusted that our own politicians wouldn't sort it out themselves.

[IWannaGotoMarz]

I'm delighted! I live in NI and have always opposed direct rule, but if our assembly can't get its act together then fuck them. The majority of NI support both abortion and equal marriage. The DUP kept abusing its power with petitions of concern or else we'd already have equal marriage.

[Thump]

Crazy.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Thump - I think there's often tumbleweed in 'In The News' , but I didn't want to put it in AIBU 'for traffic' and only part of its FWR.

Much as the end result might be desirable, I do not think Westminster should be going anything that is not urgent or necessary.

I'm pretty sure there are plenty of women in NI for whom it meets those criteria.

[BrienneofTarthILoveYou]

Personally I think it's great and serves the useless assembly members right that this happened when they were too much of a waste of space to get sorted.

That said, I agree with the pps who said that this gives the DUP an out, so I think it means that the assembly will be up and running again shortly after this passes.