The Irish Presbyterian Church has castigated the Westminster parliament’s confirmation of abortion powers given to the Northern Ireland Secretary of State as seriously undermining devolution and as devastating for the protection of unborn children.

On Tuesday last, the House of Commons voted 431 to 89 to formally approve regulations which enable Brandon Lewis to compel the region’s health department to roll out an abortion regime over the objections of the Executive.

Last month, a cross-party majority decision in the Stormont Assembly rejected the Abortion (Northern Ireland) 2021 legislation. The 48-12 vote rejection came from across the unionist/nationalist divide.

All of the denominations in Northern Ireland, including the Church of Ireland, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist and Free Presbyterian churches are strongly opposed to the liberal abortion laws.

The Belfast News Letter, over two pages of advertisement, carried a strongly-worded letter of condemnation of the proposed abortion legislation from 250 ministers, rectors and pastors from right across the Protestant religious spectrum.