20:32

Elated cheers rang out from steps of the supreme court this morning as the justices handed down a decision that overturned a slate of restrictions that would have closed all but a handful of abortion providers in Texas. The landmark ruling is considered one of the most consequential and sweeping legal victories for reproductive rights since the court handed down Roe v Wade in 1973.

Hillary Clinton immediately hailed the decision as a “victory for women across America”. Donald Trump did not immediately comment on the decision.

“By striking down politically motivated restrictions that made it nearly impossible for Texans to exercise their full reproductive rights, the court upheld every woman’s right to safe, legal abortion, no matter where she lives,” the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate said.

Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, who was defeated by Clinton in the Democratic primary, also applauded the decision.

“After all the progress we have made on women’s rights, we cannot go back to the days when women in America did not have the right to control their own bodies,” Sanders said.

Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards said that the opinion would be a “defining issue” for female voters, a group that Trump is struggling to court.

“I think we are going to see a record gender gap in November and this is going to be one of the main reasons and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, as well as others, will be making this an important point in the months to come,” Richards said on MSNBC after the ruling.



The group has criticized the presumptive Republican nominee for his silence following the decision - Trump has not tweeted anything since 9:39 am EDT.