Backbench fury at embryo Bill

Last Modified: 12 May 2008
Source: ITN

Rebel Labour MPs have vowed to continue the fight against controversial legislation on embryo research.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson's assurance that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill would be subject to a "strict legal and ethical framework" was not enough to quell outrage among members of his own party.

The Bill passed its first hurdle, getting a second reading by 340 votes to 262, but will face a sterner test when it returns to the Commons next week.

Nine Labour MPs defied the whip including Geraldine Smith, who branded plans to allow the creation of hybrid embryos and "saviour siblings" - born to help treat another child - "revolting" and "appalling".

She called the proposal to scrap the requirement for doctors to consider whether a child born through IVF treatment has a father figure "one of the most ill-conceived measures to be put before this House while I've been a member of it".

Vowing to defy the Prime Minister and vote against the Bill's Second Reading, she added: "I fully respect the Government's position on this, but I think equally the Government should respect the position of members who, on an issue of conscience, will end up voting against the Government tonight and I do that with sorrow."

Labour came under renewed fire for not copying other parties by treating the Bill as a conscience issue and giving its backbenchers a free vote.

Gordon Brown was forced to grant a free vote on the most contentious elements after a threatened revolt by Roman Catholic ministers, including three Cabinet members.

But the Prime Minister insists the Bill's overall potential to speed up research into treatment for conditions such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, cancer and heart disease means it must be passed.

The Bill has been strongly criticised by some church leaders, most notably the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who called it "monstrous".

Researchers have in turn accused the clergy of misunderstanding the science involved.

Fierce clashes are expected next week over a bid by pro-life MPs to use the Bill to lower the 24-week time limit on abortions to 13 weeks.

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