Ian Paisley, Gavin Robinson and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson with 10 pro-life young women. Image: Amy Poduval. More photos available on request.
Pro-life campaigners have presented white flowers to the Democratic Unionist Party MPs who hold the balance of power at Westminster, in recognition of their pro-life stand.
The floral tributes were made at the House of Commons by a group of 10 young pro-life women (for the 10 DUP MPs) headed by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) which was formed in 1967 - the same year as the Abortion Act was passed.
Presenting the flowers, SPUC communications officer Alithea Williams said:
"I’m here with several young women. We’re here because we have been horrified by the recent attacks against you in the media and from other politicians because of your pro-life stance. The sanctity of human life is an issue that rises above party politics, so no one should receive the abuse you have been receiving for believing in the right to life of unborn babies" (full text below)
Explaining the reasons behind the presentation, she said:
"The DUP has a long and proud history of standing up for the unborn.
"Since the General Election they have been relentlessly pilloried from some quarters for their pro-life beliefs.
"This is a small way of thanking them for continuing to defend the defenceless. And we would like to emphasise that those who continue to attack the DUP for their genuine and deeply held pro-life convictions do not speak for all women."
The white flower is an emblem for SPUC. Its origins spring from a resistance movement in Germany during the Second World War and has come to symbolise what can be achieved by standing up for what is right in a peaceful manner but with determination even in the face of hostility and oppression.
Ms Williams added:
"We are also here to thank the MPs for their stand in opposing the decriminalisation agenda on abortion.
"Their views are in tune with the vast majority of people - 99% in a recent poll - who oppose abortion up until birth.
"This ComRes poll reveals just how uneasy the general public are with current abortion legislation, and favour greater restrictions.
"The poll, commissioned by grass roots initiative Where Do They Stand, is the most extensive UK polling in the last decade on abortion and revealed that only 1% of the public favour abortion up to birth, which would almost certainly be the result if abortion was taken out of the criminal law. And, far from supporting what some would call ‘a more progressive abortion law’ 70% of women said the time-limit for abortion should be lowered. "
Antonia Tully, SPUC’s Director of Campaigns, said:
"The pro-abortion lobby are pushing for decriminalisation of abortion in Britain and in Northern Ireland because they don't care about the impact of abortion on women or refuse to look at what that impact is. We really do care that women who have an abortion, experience mental health problems 30% more often compared with women who give birth. It matters to us that a study has shown that the risk of suicide is approximately six times greater after an abortion than after childbirth.
"We are fighting the decriminalisation of abortion every inch of the way. In October 2017 SPUC is holding a mass constituency-based lobby of MPs. We are aiming for every MP in the country to hear first-hand of the dangers to women and babies of decriminalising abortion. We want the firm commitment of MPs to oppose any moves to decriminalise abortion.
"The attacks on Northern Ireland MPs whose support the Prime Minister needs to form a government, have been launched in order to promote the pro-abortion campaign to decriminalise abortion both in Britain and in Northern Ireland."
Full text of presentation speech:
Thank you for taking the time to come and see us today.
I’m here with several young women. We’re here because we have been horrified by the recent attacks against you in the media and from other politicians because of your pro-life stance. The sanctity of human life is an issue that rises above party politics, so no one should receive the abuse you have been receiving for believing in the right to life of unborn babies.
Firstly, we wanted to say that those who say that you are a danger to women’s rights do not speak for all women. They do not speak for us. They do not speak for the majority of women in this country who are uncomfortable with the vast scale of abortion in England, Wales and Scotland, which has led to the deaths of nearly 8.7 million unborn babies in the last 50 years.
We would also like to thank you for all you do to stand up for the unborn, both in keeping abortion out of Northern Ireland and in opposing the horrific agenda to decriminalise abortion here. Your witness inspires us in our own work to promote a pro-life worldview.
You may know that SPUC uses the white flower as an emblem. This has its origins in Germany during the Second World War and symbolises what can be achieved by standing up for what is right in a peaceful manner but with determination even in the face of hostility and oppression. As a small way of thanking you for all you do to defend the defenceless, we’d like to give you these flowers now.
Contact us
Alithea Williams, SPUC's Communications Officer can be contacted on:
Antonia Tully, SPUC’s Director of Campaigns, can be contacted on: