MPs bid to force government to act over ban on abortion in Northern Ireland
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Louise Thomas
Editor
MPs will try to force the government to legalise abortion in Northern Ireland when the Commons votes this evening on a motion tabled by Labour MPs.
The amendment, which would force ministers to ensure that the law in the region is compatible with human rights legislation, has been tabled by Labour backbenchers Stella Creasy and Conor McGinn but has the backing of a number of Tories.
Both the Conservatives and Labour are expected to give their MPs a free vote on the matter, raising the prospect that it could pass.
It comes after the Commons yesterday voted by 208 to 123 in favour of a largely symbolic motion to scrap the 157-year-old laws that make abortion illegal in Northern Ireland. It was backed by several Tory ministers, including women and equalities minister Penny Mordaunt, piling pressure on Ms May to act.
Proposing her amendment, Ms Creasy told the Commons: "This amendment would not create a new law in Northern Ireland but what it would do is recognise that there are thousands of people in Northern Ireland whose lives right now are affected by two key human rights issues.
“They are human rights issues because the are issues on which our courts are currently discussing, ruling and indeed appealing."
She added: “They refer in particular to the right of somebody to be able to marry who they love and the right of women to have bodily autonomy. To make the choice, if they wish, to not continue with an unwanted pregnancy.”
Follow the action as it happened...
The SNP's Ian Blackford asks about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, saying it bears "all the hallmarks of being a pre-meditated murder".
He says German chancellor Angela Merkel has said her government will no longer approve new arms sales to the Saudis, and calls for "decisive action" from the UK. Will the UK end the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia, he asks?
May doesn't directly respond that but says action is being taken. The government will prevent any suspects in the case entering the UK, with any visas they have to be revoked "today", she says.
That's a new announcement from Theresa May: any suspects in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi will be banned from entering the UK, with visas being revoked today.
That won't be enough for many critics, who want tough action against the Saudi government, but it's a sign of the UK stepping up its response.
Labour's Jess Phillips says UK laws currently "allow rich and powerful men to do pretty much whatever they want as long as they can pay to keep it quiet".
It follows reports that a prominent businessman has used non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and a court injunction to stop allegations against him being made public.
Ms Phillips asks what the government will do about the use of NDAs in relation to cases of sexual harassment.
The prime minister says sexual harassment in the workplace is against the law and "such abhorrent behaviour should not be tolerated." She adds:
"There must be consequences for failing to comply with the law."
Ms May says NDAs cannot stop people from whistle-blowing but that the government will make put forward changes to improve the regulation of NDAs in order to make clear to employers when they can and can't be used.
Jacob Rees-Mogg asks about reports that the jurisdiction of European courts will continue after Brexit.
Ms May says any reports suggesting this are wrong and insists that the European Court of Justice will not continue to have jurisdiction in the UK after Brexit.
Major dig from Labour's Susan Elan Jones, who suggests that the reason Ms May won't confirm what will be in next week's budget is because she doesn't know who will be prime minister next week...
Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable asks about universal credit, saying the positive principles behind the policy were "seriously undermined" by George Osborne's 2015 budget.
He says Ms May must listen to charities and her own backbenchers who are calling for the rollout of the policy to be halted until improvements are made.
The prime minister says universal credit makes the system more simple, helps people into work and allows people to keep more as they earn more.
She once again defends the changes, insisting: "This is a system that is good for people."
That's it for this week's PMQs. It was another fairly dull encounter between Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May, with the two leaders hurling statistics at each other as they clashed over spending on public services and the potential ending of austerity.
The main news was the prime minister's announcement that the UK will revoke any visas held by suspects in the murder of Saudi-born journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
FULL STORY: UK to revoke Saudi suspects' visas today over Jamal Khashoggi murder, Theresa May says
Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May clashed over the prime minister's promise to end austerity, with the Labour leader asking when this was likely to happen. Mr Corbyn also quoted Tory local government leaders who questioned the prime minister's claims as they face several years of further budget cuts.
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