--- title: Removal of abortion law has led to over 650 abortions in the past six months date: 2020-10-22T09:45:00+01:00 author: Tim Coysh canonical_url: "https://staging.eauk.org/news-and-views/removal-of-abortion-law-has-led-to-over-650-abortions-in-the-past-six-months" section: Articles --- Share [ ](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=1769260916495219&href=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fremoval-of-abortion-law-has-led-to-over-650-abortions-in-the-past-six-months) [ ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=Removal%20of%20abortion%20law%20has%20led%20to%20over%20650%20abortions%20in%20the%20past%20six%20months&url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fremoval-of-abortion-law-has-led-to-over-650-abortions-in-the-past-six-months) [ ](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/send?app_id=1769260916495219&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fremoval-of-abortion-law-has-led-to-over-650-abortions-in-the-past-six-months&link=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fremoval-of-abortion-law-has-led-to-over-650-abortions-in-the-past-six-months&display=popup) [ ](mailto:?subject=Shared%20from%20Evangelical%20Alliance&body=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fremoval-of-abortion-law-has-led-to-over-650-abortions-in-the-past-six-months) Copy link to this article Share this article Removal of abortion law has led to over 650 abortions in the past six months 2 min read Contents Share [ ](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=1769260916495219&href=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fremoval-of-abortion-law-has-led-to-over-650-abortions-in-the-past-six-months) [ ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=Removal%20of%20abortion%20law%20has%20led%20to%20over%20650%20abortions%20in%20the%20past%20six%20months&url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fremoval-of-abortion-law-has-led-to-over-650-abortions-in-the-past-six-months) [ ](mailto:?subject=Shared%20from%20Evangelical%20Alliance&body=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fremoval-of-abortion-law-has-led-to-over-650-abortions-in-the-past-six-months) Copy link to this article Share this article Back to top In this article Today, 22 October 2020, marks one year since the law on abortion in Northern Ireland was radically changed by the Westminster Government. Regulations came into effect on 31 March, and since then more than 650 abortions have been carried out in the first six months up to the beginning of October. **David Smyth, head of the Evangelical Alliance in Northern Ireland, commented:** *​“Today is a dark day as we remember the events of a year ago, when vital protections for women and unborn children were removed from law. We grieve that since the end of March more than 650 women saw no better choice than abortion, and for the unborn lives lost. *In the bitter face of another wave of this pandemic, and with the extraordinary measures our government and society are putting in place to save lives, it seems all the more ironic that so many lives are simultaneously being lost through abortion – lives that are deemed unwanted, unchosen or unimaginable.* *We continue to stand with the vulnerable today in the midst of this pandemic, those who are disabled, in care, in crisis, lonely and marginalised. We continue to advocate for the dignity and welfare of both women and unborn children. We imagine and work for a better future because as Christians we believe in life after death, life before birth, and life in abundance, even in the mess of the here and now.”** --- [@EANInews](https://x.com/EANInews) ### About David Smyth ![]()David Smyth is head of Northern Ireland and coordinates the Public Leader: Northern Ireland course. He is a former solicitor and represents the Evangelical Alliance on a range of government, civic and charitable forums. He serves in the space where faith, law, politics and culture intersect. 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