US court decision to overrule Roe v Wade a ‘big step backwards’, says Boris Johnson

Unusual intervention by prime minister in internal affairs of friendly country

The US Supreme Court decision to overturn the Roe vs Wade ruling on abortion rights is “a big step backwards”, prime minister Boris Johnson has said.

Six conservative justices, who now make up a majority on the nine-member court, ended constitutional protections for abortion care in a landmark ruling that could lead to far-reaching consequences for millions of Americans.

Speaking at a press conference in Rwanda shortly after the ruling, Mr Johnson said that the US ruling would have “massive impacts on people’s thinking around the world”.

And he said: “I’ve got to tell you, I think it’s a big step backwards. I’ve always believed in a woman’s right to choose and I stick to that view and that’s why the UK has the laws that it does.”

In reference to recent measures by the Westminster government to ensure access to abortion for women in Northern Ireland, Mr Johnson said: “Actually, if you look, we recently took steps to make sure that those laws were enforced throughout the UK.”

Mr Johnson acknowledged that he was stepping outside prime ministers’ normal practice of avoiding commenting on the internal affairs of friendly countries, saying: “This is not our court, it’s another jurisdiction, but clearly it has massive impacts on people’s thinking around the world. It’s a very important decision.”