Last year, voters in the Republic of Ireland voted to end the country's ban on abortion and last month, the High Court in Belfast ruled that Northern Ireland's abortion law was in breach of the UK's human rights commitments.

Conor McGinn MP proposed that Westminster legislate for same-sex marriage while his Labour colleague, Stella Creasy MP, proposed the decriminalisation of abortion.

Both amendments were carried by significant majorities which meant same-sex marriage and abortion would become legal unless the Northern Ireland Assembly had been restored by midnight on 21 October.

Assembly members will sit for the first time in two and half years later to debate the changes although it's just a symbolic move as members will have no power to stop them coming into force.