Is Theresa May a feminist? That’s the question that’s dominating Westminster today following the Prime Minister’s reluctance to back reform of Northern Ireland’s strict abortion law. The Republic of Ireland’s decisive vote to overturn its own law on Friday has seen May come under pressure from Cabinet ministers and some of her own MPs to bring about such change on the other side of the Irish border.
Usually this would be a devolved matter but given that there is no power-sharing executive at Stormont – and there hasn’t been for almost 15 months – there are some who think the responsibility falls on the PM. Not No 10, however. Downing Street continues to insist that it is a devolved issue – and no decision should be taken from Westminster. Conveniently, the DUP – on whose support May relies for her working majority – take the same view.
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