The government has been strongly criticised after caving in to demands to give women from Northern Ireland free abortions on the National Health Service. Chancellor Philip Hammond announced in the House of Commons that the government will provide free abortions for Northern Irish women. Labour MP Stella Creasy has tabled an amendment to the Queen's Speech calling for the move, however the DUP, which is propping up the government, strongly oppose it. If the amendment passes, it will become an integral part of the Queen's Speech, making it much more difficult for the DUP to support it in the final vote, thus bringing the government to the brink of collapse. The government's climbdown was announced in a letter by Equalities Minister Justine Greening. https://twitter.com/bbclaurak/status/880408682428858369 The decision comes on the same day Northern Ireland's Appeal Court said abortion law should be left to the province's Assembly.