Melanie McDonagh

Abortion is a matter devolved to Northern Ireland’s representatives. Today, Belfast's Court of Appeal ruled abortion law in Northern Ireland should be left to the Stormont Assembly, not judges – which overturns an earlier ruling that the current abortion laws are incompatible with human rights laws. Yet Stella Creasy has taken it on herself to carry on a campaign to undermine abortion law in Northern Ireland by requiring the NHS to fund terminations for women travelling from there to England. That’s why the government conceded today that when Northern Irish women travel to Britain for an abortion, it will be funded by the NHS, so they won’t, as now, have to pay for it.

The resignation of Tim Farron has left a bad taste in the mouth, don’t you think? There were a number of reasons why he was an unconvincing leader: the puppyish demeanour, the want of eloquence, style or confidence - even if you agree with him about Brexit, but they weren’t the reasons why he resigned. He was quite clear: the reason was “I have found myself torn between living as a faithful Christian and serving as a political leader,” he said in a televised statement. To be a political leader – especially of a progressive, liberal party in 2017 – and to live as a committed Christian, to hold faithfully to the Bible’s teaching, has felt impossible for me.” He’s right, isn’t he?

Well, Arlene and Theresa have met for negotiations about the DUP/Tory deal that a million people got so exercised about, they signed an online petition to have it stopped. And you know what? There is no indication, not a whisper, since those talks broke up, that abortion was so much as mentioned; nor indeed gay marriage. Indeed, the whole notion that the DUP might be out to subvert gay marriage in mainland Britain, let alone do anything about the abortion laws (which undeniably need revisiting – tightening), was simply risible.

Well, fabulous day for democracy, no? Not the outcome exactly – the Tories lost, but Labour didn’t win – so much as the sense that for once, every vote matters. Or, in the case of North East Fife, every two votes. In Richmond Park, Zac Goldsmith has won by 45 votes – more or less the size of his extended family. And Kensington - Kensington! – seems have gone Labour, with fewer than 35 votes in the outcome and another recount to come at 6pm. I still can’t get my head round it. (It would, come to think of it, be a handy seat, if available, for former cabinet ministers living and working in the constituency, and seeking re-election.

Are we all standing united, then? Not letting anything divide us? Not giving way to bigotry or intolerance or hate? And we’re all going to be terrifically brave and go out to vote on Thursday, because that’s what the terrorists don’t want us to do… do they? When I heard the news about the London Bridge attack, I felt a number of emotions pretty well together. Oh God, not again, was the first, followed by indignation, compassion, sympathy and admiration as appropriate for perpetrators, victims, police, passers by and the have-a-go cab driver. But the very next, perhaps simultaneous, reaction was ennui. Here we go again. Not another attack, not the obligatory responses.

Really interesting, the new figures about public attitudes to abortion, specifically women’s attitudes, reproduced below and published in the Mail on Sunday today. They suggest a good deal of unease with the current law, an unease I would guess has something to do with advances in pre-natal screening. It’s hard to square a six month cut-off limit for abortions with ubiquitous images of foetuses at 12 weeks looking embarrassingly, palpably, human. They may not be viable – ie capable of surviving outside the womb – but they’re human all right.

Are there any matters of principle, do you reckon, that Tim Farron isn’t prepared to give up on under pressure from a television journalist? After caving under repeated questioning from Channel 4’s Cathy Newman (how brave, Cathy!) to declare that he does not, in fact, consider homosexual acts to be sinful, he’s now had to conform again, this time on abortion. In an interview with ITV, he said he strongly believed that 'when procedures takes place, it should be safe and it should be legal,' and supported the law as it stands. Pressed on his personal view, he said: 'Again, what one believes in one’s personal private faith is just that.' A spokesman has also made clear that Farron supports a woman’s right to abortion.

Happy now, everyone? David Baddiel? David Walliams? Our friend Owen Jones, the Guardian’s conscience keeper? And, not least Tory MP Nigel Evans. After being subjected to an inquisition on telly – courtesy of Channel 4’s Cathy Newman – about whether he does or does not regard homosexuality as sin, then a co-ordinated dissing online, and finally a straight, menacing question from Nigel Evans in the Commons – 'does the Hon Gentleman think being gay is a sin?'-- Tim Farron has capitulated, given in, abandoned the attempt to keep his views on a matter of conscience to himself. 'So, I do not,' he said. He was a bit red in the face as he said it, as you would, when you’ve had to prostitute your conscience, but the thing is done.

You’d think, with Brexit talks starting sometime after Wednesday, that Northern Irish politicians would have something better to do than engage in the amusing party politics that leave everyone else in Ireland and Britain stone cold.