但外界的期待卻讓梅伊政府陷入尷尬的局面,總理梅伊(Theresa May)在上次的選舉豪賭失敗,與北愛爾蘭的「民主統一黨」(DUP)組成聯合政府,在席次上剛好過半數,但DUP在社會政策上屬極端保守,強力反對墮胎,再加上北愛兩大黨DUP與新芬黨(Sinn Fenn)談判破裂,雙方至今尚未組成地方自治聯合政府,一切重大決策將仰賴英國政府,在愛爾蘭上個月的修憲公投結果出爐後,梅伊僅推文祝賀,隻字未提及北愛,面對記者提問,她的發言人表示:「這一切將取決於北愛的立法者。」等同於在此議題上無所進展,也因此NIHRC這次才會上訴到英國最高法院。
“I see abortion as an equalities issue. Because men and women will never truly be free whilst one cannot control what happens to their own body.” @stellacreasy sets out why abortion reform in Northern Ireland is absolutely a #humanrights issue. pic.twitter.com/UduQV10Z0Y
— News From Amnesty (@NewsFromAmnesty) 5 June 2018
梅伊終於鬆口!強調「女人應能夠安全並合法墮胎」
8日,在外界壓力及英國內閣成員的激烈討論下,梅伊終於針對此議題發表正面言論,在前往加拿大魁北克參與G7峰會的途中,她向隨行記者表示:「我相信一個女人應該要能夠安全並合法的墮胎。」但梅伊也再次強調:「我喜歡的選擇(preferred option)是讓北愛人民信賴且選出的政治家來處理及決定這項議題。」
May opens door to allowing MPs vote on overturning Northern Ireland abortion ban https://t.co/mxnj2oXLNf
— The Independent (@Independent) 9 June 2018
但梅伊的語帶保留也回應了外界的期待,「很明顯的是,在下議院(House of Commons)任何有關墮胎的議題總是屬於....良知的議題,未來也將會持續以議員自由投票的方式處理。」
Supreme court judges find Northern Ireland abortion law in breach of human rights – Westminster must legislate without further delay, says Amnesty https://t.co/WrWO7YkkZZ pic.twitter.com/ZiTk40IZl4
— Amnesty Int'l NI (@AmnestyNI) June 7, 2018