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New pressure is being heaped on Theresa May after Tories demanded she allows abortion in Northern Ireland - despite her DUP allies opposing it.

MPs want the Prime Minister to decide where her loyalties lie after Ireland voted for reform - while Northern Ireland retains some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe.

Only women whose lives or serious health are at risk can get abortions in Northern Ireland, forcing thousands to travel desperately across the Irish Sea each year.

Several prominent Tories including the Equalities Minister have now renewed demands that women in Northern Ireland win the right to abortion.

Another minister has broken ranks today to call for a free vote on the issue - where MPs are not whipped by party - in parliament.

Tory education minister Anne Milton added: "I feel quite strongly about it. I think it should be a free vote."

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Yet Downing Street refused to comment on the calls today and Mrs May's only response was to praise Ireland's "impressive show of democracy".

(Image: PA) (Image: AFP)

Ms Milton told ITV's Peston on Sunday the situation for Northern Ireland women is "anomalous" and "doesn't feel quite right".

She suggested she would vote to change the law if a vote was held, adding: "I would have to see the detail of the amendment, but I believe in a woman’s right to choose."

Women and equalities minister Penny Mordaunt said the referendum signalled a "historic and great day for Ireland" and a "hopeful one for Northern Ireland".

"That hope must be met," she demanded.

And Tory Nicky Morgan and three other former holders of the equalities job - Amber Rudd, Justine Greening and Maria Miller - all backed Ms Mordaunt.

More than 140 MPs are now said to be prepared to back an amendment to the domestic violence bill, coordinated by Labour MP Stella Creasy, to allow abortions in Ulster.

That could be the vehicle that allows MPs to hold a historic vote in Westminster.

Ms Creasy urged MPs: "Make sure we don’t leave Northern Irish women behind."

(Image: AFP)

It comes after voters in Ireland axed the country's hardline abortion ban by repealing the Eighth Amendment in a historic referendum result.

The Yes camp won 66% of the vote, 706,349 ahead of the No camp, after thousands of women flew home to vote from as far as Asia and Argentina.

Yet Northern Ireland's abortion ban remains, separate to both the Republic and the rest of the UK.

Theresa May has already compromised under pressure, and offered free abortions to women who make the trip across the Irish Sea.

But her MPs say she should go further and stop those trips from being needed at all.

Tory former Cabinet minister Justine Greening said: "A similar debate needs to happen in Northern Ireland."

(Image: REX/Shutterstock)

It forces Prime Minister Mrs May into a political nightmare because she relies on the hardline, right-wing Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to prop up her regime.

The Tories gave more than £1billion to Northern Ireland to win the support of the DUP's 10 MPs on key votes in Parliament.

And last night the DUP's Ian Paisley made clear the strength of opposition Mrs May would face.

He warned Northern Ireland "should not be bullied into accepting abortion on demand".

"The settled will of the people has been to afford protections to the unborn life and protect the life of the mother," he added.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

In a major development, politicians - including some in Northern Ireland itself - called for Mrs May to act from Westminster.

London civil servants have been taking many decisions within Northern Ireland anyway since the powersharing administration collapsed 16 months ago.

Sinn Fein's leader in Stormont Michelle O'Neill told ITV's Peston on Sunday: "I ultimately would want to be a legislator that takes the decisions, I want us to us to take the decisions.

"In the absence of having institutions then we have to find a way to deliver rights.

"Because the North is becoming a backwater. It's becoming a society where if you want language rights, if you want same-sex marriage, if you want women's health dealt with, we're being denied that because of the political Unionism's position."

Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said the PM should use the current lack of a devolved government in Stormont to reform from Westminster.

Sir Vince said: "The position in Northern Ireland is now highly anomalous and I think, probably, action will now have to be taken."

Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, who chairs the Commons Health Committee, added: “Of course we’d all like to see the Stormont Assembly back up and running and for this decision to be made by people in Northern Ireland.

"But if that doesn’t happen and if the Speaker doesn’t allow an amendment to the forthcoming legislation then I think at the very least people in Northern Ireland should be allowed a referendum.

"The current situation [is] clearly unacceptable.”