Northern Ireland

Bernadette Smyth: I may stand for Stormont to fight abortion reforms

Bernadette Smyth is founder of anti-abortion group Precious Life. Picture by Mal McCann
Bernadette Smyth is founder of anti-abortion group Precious Life. Picture by Mal McCann Bernadette Smyth is founder of anti-abortion group Precious Life. Picture by Mal McCann

Bernadette Smyth could stand for election to Stormont in a bid to roll back changes to the north’s abortion laws.

The high-profile campaigner, who founded the group Precious Life in 1997, said she is seriously considering standing as an independent candidate in the next assembly poll.

"I do know that I will do everything while I have breath to help unborn children and support women and if that means that I have to consider that, I will take time to do that," she said.

Ms Smyth said she is not interested in “orange or green politics” and would stand as a single issue candidate.

The mother-of-four, who is in her fifties, has campaigned against any relaxation of the north’s abortion laws.

She said the decriminalisation legislation at Westminster “is the most difficult situation I have ever had to face in 23 years”.

"I don't know how I'll feel on Tuesday morning,” she said.

“If there's no miracle between now and Tuesday morning I know that we as an organisation has done all it could.

“This decision wasn't made by the people of Northern Ireland or our politicians, it was made by Westminster. It's unjust, it's wrong and it will go down in history as the greatest atrocity ever to happen to Northern Ireland since the Troubles."

She added: "We may have lost this battle but I don't think we ultimately have lost the war.”

Ms Smyth said members of her group have been lobbying politicians to return to Stormont today, the deadline for assembly members to block the legislation by reforming an executive.

"The phones are ringing off the hook in every political party's offices,” she said.

“Everybody is trying to do everything they can to say to the politicians: 'Get back into Stormont'."

She said Precious Life also wants to challenge abortion guidelines issued by the Northern Ireland Office earlier this month.

Under the guidance, which covers an interim period between tomorrow and next April when regulations for new abortion services are due to be put in place, medical staff can refer women seeking abortions to a “central booking service” in England.

"In the guidelines there is nothing for women in crisis pregnancy, there is no guidance or referrals,” Ms Smyth said.

“The helpline between October and March is not a pro-life helpline, it's a helpline to get an abortion.

"What about giving women other options?

"We are looking at judicially reviewing them (the guidelines) if possible."

Ms Smyth, who lives in Ballymena, was a mother-of-three in her early thirties when she established Precious Life "after seeing an image of an aborted baby".

"It just transformed my world,” she said.

She gave up her job in retail and began campaigning across the north.

In 2015, the group brought US anti-abortion healthcare provider Stanton Healthcare to Northern Ireland.

Precious Life also has links with other anti-abortion groups in other countries.

Ms Smyth said she believes abortion is wrong in every instance, including cases of rape or fatal foetal abnormality.

"I have a strong faith,” she said. “Faith is very important to me personally but it wasn't a faith decision to set up Precious Life, it was seeing what abortion does to unborn children.

"I gave up my job at that time, my husband supported me and then I had another baby through the campaign period."

Ms Smyth said "thousands" of women have decided not to have terminations through the work of Precious Life.

“I could have chosen an easier life but I didn’t,” she said.

“I’m a mother-of-four and a grandmother-of-six. I won’t give up now.”