27 March 2008

Prime Minister gives free vote compromise

Gordon Brown has said that Labour MPs will get a free vote on three aspects of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. 

But he expects all Labour MPs to back the whole bill when it comes to the final Commons vote.

The Prime Minister offered the deal after warnings that some Catholic Labour MPs and cabinet ministers were ready to rebel, BBC News reports.

The three areas where Mr Brown said there would be free votes during the passage of the bill through the Commons are:

  • Preventing fertility clinics from refusing treatment to single women and lesbians - under current legislation clinics must take account of the welfare of the unborn child including ‘the need for a father’. This will be replaced by the ‘need for supportive parenting’.

  • Creating a child with the correct tissue match to save a sick brother or sister.

  • Creating so-called hybrid animal/human embryos to aid stem cell research.

    Speaking at the launch of Labour’s local election campaign, Mr Brown said:

    ‘I do believe that in stem cell research we have the power in the future to treat and to cure some of the diseases that have afflicted mankind for centuries.’

    Embryonic stem cell research ‘holds the key’ to advances in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson, cancer and heart disease, he said.

    ‘I have always said that although I attach huge importance to this legislation - to save lives and helping to cure and treat diseases - we respect the consciences of every member of Parliament as they decide how to cast their vote on this,’ he said.

    ‘On the three issues where, for the first time, these ethical issues are being debated in Parliament in this new way… exercising your conscience will mean for Labour Party members a free vote. But the bill itself cannot be subject to a free vote because there are so many other changes that I believe are necessary as part of building up the research framework of our country and, of course, creating the right ethical framework for the development of embryo research.’

    Mr Brown said the government planned to ban so-called ‘designer babies’ and was taking action ‘to ban in a large number of instances, experimentation with animal embryos’.

    Conservative leader David Cameron is allowing his MPs to vote with their conscience on the bill.

    Health Minister Dawn Primarolo has said she is confident concerned Labour backbenchers can be won over by Mr Brown’s compromise offer.

    Lib Dem science spokesman Dr Evan Harris said:

    ‘I am confident that more opposition MPs will support these measures than Labour MPs opposing them and that there will be a large majority - since I personally support embryo research I welcome that.’

    Brown compromise over embryo vote. BBC News, 25 March 2008