MPs have again overwhelmingly backed radical changes to Northern Ireland’s abortion law which would move it from being the most restrictive law in the UK to being the most liberal, allowing unrestricted abortion up to 28 weeks. Many MPs did not vote at all. It can only be stopped if the Northern Ireland Assembly reconvenes by October 21.

The moves have been severely criticised by the Catholic Bishops of Northern Ireland.

Last week an amendment to the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill by Labour MP Stella Creasy received majority support from MPs and passed the Commons before going to the Lords where on Wednesday night peers amended the proposal in several areas.

On Thursday that returned to the Commons where MPs again expressed clear support – by 328 votes to 65 – for fundamental changes to Northern Ireland’s criminal law which would stop any form of abortion being treated as a criminal offence.

However, there was again criticism of the rushed way in which the change is being made due to the fact that it has come about through an amendment to a technical bill about delaying elections in Northern Ireland which is being fast-tracked through the Commons under emergency procedures.

Because the Commons also passed its own amendment today – relating to Brexit – the bill will now return to the House of Lords for that to be considered before coming back to the Commons, probably at the start of next week.

Unlike the House of Lords, which spent the best part of two days debating the changes with vigorous opposition from Baroness Nuala O’Loan, and Lords Robin Eames and David Trimble, the Commons yesterday spent little time discussing abortion.

Due to the government rushing the bill through the Commons, MPs were yesterday given only one hour to discuss the entire bill – which encompasses everything from the Stormont talks to legalising same-sex marriage, moves towards reform of the libel law and a pension for Troubles victims.

Tory MP Fiona Bruce, an opponent of the changes, said that the amendments meant that Northern Ireland would have “the most permissive abortion law in the whole of the British Isles”.

Pro-choice MP Diana Johnson agreed with that characterisation of the new law for Northern Ireland but said that should now be extended to the rest of the UK.