 However, with no Northern Ireland executive available to legislate on the issue, direct rule was used as an instrument in order to equalise protection and recognition for LBGT individual across the union.Amnesty International and other organisations, including the Labour Party considered this to be an important issue to legislate on in Westminster; others, such as the Conservative Party believed it to be an issue for the people and assembly of Northern Ireland.Abortion was only legal in Northern Ireland if "there is a risk of real and serious adverse effect on her physical or mental health, which is either long term or permanent", a status achieved through a series of British court cases during the period of direct rule from Westminster, where previously all cases of abortion were illegal.