Belfast, Northern Ireland, Feb 9, 2022 / 14:00 pm
A pro-life group said that a High Court ruling on Tuesday indicates that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland could block future attempts to restrict abortion in the region.
A judge dismissed a challenge on Feb. 8 brought by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) to a directive to expand abortion services issued by the Secretary of State Brandon Lewis.
Liam Gibson, SPUC’s policy and legal officer, said that his organization was considering an appeal against the judgment, which declared that the Northern Ireland secretary had “broad, expansive powers” regarding abortion.
“If this judgment is allowed to stand, the Secretary of State can simply block any attempt to restrict abortion or restore the right to life of unborn children,” Gibson said in a Feb. 8 statement.