Statement by TUV East Antrim spokesperson Norman Boyd:
“Today’s decision by the Secretary of State commission abortions illustrates that devolution is sham. Clearly when Westminster can act in this fashion on an issue which the vast majority of the public oppose, as shown in the consultation on the matter, it can act when it comes to other matters which are allegedly held up because of the lack of a local Assembly and Executive.
“Secondly, it will not be lost on many that while London is prepared to act in this fashion when it comes to abortion there is a telling lack of any movement to address Unionist concerns about the Protocol. In fact the reverse is the case as only yesterday the Government was arguing that the Protocol “disapplied” the Union!
“With no prospect of our abortion laws being changed under Stormont rule there will be many who will see today’s news as more evidence of the pointlessness of devolution”.