WESTMINSTER voting to reform Northern Ireland’s restrictive abortion laws would not affect the devolution settlement, a leading Scottish women’s organisations has claimed.

Last Friday’s referendum in the Republic saw a historic ban on the policy swept away, and left the north isolated, as one of the few countries in Europe where abortion is only allowed when a woman’s life is at risk.

Labour backbencher Stella Creasy’s aims to amend the Domestic Violence Bill when it comes to the Commons, to repeal the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, which would, the MP believes, effectively, bring in the same abortion laws across the UK.

Her plan has cross-party support, but Theresa May, and other senior Tories, including Ruth Davidson, have declined to back it, saying any reform is a matter for the Assembly in Belfast.

The SNP have also been reluctant to comment on the calls.

The National understands the issue will be discussed when the group returns to Westminster after recess next week.

Yesterday, Davidson said the debate showed how necessary it was to restart the Assembly, which collapsed in January 2017. She told one newspaper: “If I was a politician in Northern Ireland I would absolutely 100% vote to change the law. But as someone who operates in a devolved administration I know how angry I would be if the House of Commons legislated on a domestic Scottish issue over the head of Holyrood”

The Tory added: “This whole issue demonstrates why it’s so important to get the administration of Northern Ireland up and running again”.

Emma Ritch, executive director of Engender, said this wasn’t about devolution, and argued that the Bill could be changed without bothering the constitution.

“Engender backs the calls of reproductive health and rights advocates in Northern Ireland, including the statutory Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and medical colleges, who join the majority of the people in Northern Ireland in wanting to see reform of the law.

“The UN’s CEDAW committee told the UK Government in February of this year that it was breaching the rights of UK citizens by failing to provide abortion healthcare in Northern Ireland. This is not a devolved matter: women in Northern Ireland’s human rights are reserved to Westminster.

“A referendum is completely unnecessary. The UK can act on the Committee’s recommendation by repealing the sections of the Victorian Offences Against the Person Act that makes criminals of women who end their own pregnancies.”

The issue is becoming a headache for the Prime Minister, who faces a revolt from some of her own MPs, but who can’t risk a revolt from the 10 socially-conservative, Northern Irish, DUP MPs, who prop up her minority government.

Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, who chairs the Commons health and social care committee, said that the forthcoming domestic violence bill offered “a real opportunity” to give Northern Irish women the same rights other British women have enjoyed since the Abortion Act was passed in 1967.

She said: “We feel that this is an opportunity for the Prime Minister to make it clear that there will be a free vote on this issue and that she welcomes a cross-party amendment so that we can actually make sure that there is fairness across the whole of the United Kingdom.

“What we’re seeking from the Prime Minister is an assurance that she won’t delay the domestic violence bill and that she will make sure that it is a free vote.

“The pattern has always been for things like this, that are matters of conscience, they are not whipped votes along party lines.”

Downing Street insisted that abortion law was a matter for the Assembly.

However, a No.10 spokesman added: “In the past there has been a free vote but I’m not going to comment on hypotheticals.”

He continued: “It is important to recognise that the people of Northern Ireland are entitled to their own process which is run by elected politicians.”

n Northern Ireland”.

In open letter published in The Guardian, they write: “We believe the Labour party should use its full parliamentary muscle to ensure these rights.

“While we accept abortion is a matter of conscience, ensuring equal rights for all our citizens should be a matter of consensus.”

The NEC candidates - backed by centrist Labour groups Progress and Labour First - say the party should ignore “fundamentally wrong” calls for a referendum on abortion rights in Northern Ireland, and should instead pressure the government to directly intervene in the absence of power-sharing.

Northern Ireland has been without its own ministers for almost 18 months, following the collapse of its government over the handling of a controversial green energy scheme.

They add: “This is a core Labour value and members will want our parliamentarians to show solidarity with women and LGBT people in Northern Ireland and to see the frontbench whip in support of the 1967 Abortion Act and equal marriage legislation we have already supported and endorsed.

“No more delay. It is time for equality for all.”

The pleas to Mr Corbyn came as Theresa May batted away calls for a free vote on Ms Creasy’s amendment despite two of her ministers and several of her own high-profile MPs publicly urging her to take action.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the issue was a “devolved” matter and that Northern Ireland’s citizens were “entitled to their own process which is run by elected politician