Compromise hint over embryo vote after church outrage

Published on Sunday 23 March 2008 21:29

THE government yesterday moved to defuse the growing row over controversial embryo research legislation, indicating an "accommodation" would be reached with Labour MPs so they would not be forced to vote against their consciences.

The move came as Catholic church leaders used their Easter messages to condemn the proposals to pass laws allowing the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos for medical research.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, urged the Prime Minister to allow a free vote on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

His counterpart in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, used his Easter Sunday sermon in Edinburgh to brand the proposals a "monstrous attack on human rights, human dignity and human life", saying they would permit "Frankenstein" experiments.

But despite the threat of a rebellion from ministers, including some Cabinet members and back-bench Labour MPs, the government last night appeared to remain steadfast in its refusal to allow a full conscience vote on the plans.

Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, said an "accommodation" would be reached with Labour's Catholic MPs to ensure none has to vote against his or her conscience in the passage of the legislation.

That is likely to mean that Labour MPs will be allowed to abstain from voting on parts of the bill. But the government made it clear any concession on voting would not be allowed to threaten the passage of the bill itself.

Mr Johnson insisted the Cabinet was not split over the bill, and predicted no MP would be forced to vote against his or her conscience when it came to the House of Commons later in the year.

He rejected claims that Gordon Brown was "dithering" over whether to follow Conservative leader David Cameron and the Liberal Democrats' Nick Clegg in offering MPs a free vote.

Mr Johnson said: "I believe once we have discussed all these issues and seen all the safeguards in the bill that there will not be a split, but there will be an accommodation for those who have a particular sensitivity around this, including those whose sensitivity relates to their faith."

He added: "Look at what happened in the House of Lords. Find me anybody there who was forced to vote against their conscience."

Mr Johnson said the legislation would allow British scientists to move forward on research to look for treatments for conditions such as Parkinson's, motor neurone disease and diabetes.

It would bring the most modern scientific developments under the "moral and ethical" regulatory framework set up by the original Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act in 1990.

Mr Johnson stressed that the bill did not provide for hybrid embryos to be implanted in women or animals in order to produce a child, which would remain a criminal offence.

Labour imposed a three-line whip on the bill during its passage through the Lords, as is normal for a piece of government legislation.

Defying the whip in such a division is generally a resigning matter for a minister, and there have been reports Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, and Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, might be considering quitting their posts over the bill.

But Mr Brown appeared to hint he was hoping to find an arrangement that would avoid the need for resignations when he told the Commons earlier this month: "We respect the conscience of every member of the House in this matter."

Mr Johnson left no doubt ministers were determined to get the bill onto the statute book. "This is a flagship part of the Queen's Speech, it is a government bill and we want to see it go forward into legislation," he said.

Yesterday, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor urged Catholic MPs to be guided by their religious convictions.

He said: "I think Catholics in politics have got to act according to their Catholic convictions, so have other Christians, so have other politicians. Certainly, there are some aspects of this bill on which I believe there ought to be a free vote.

"Catholics and others will want to vote according to their conscience.

"I don't think it should be subject to the party whip."

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Vince Cable said: "I think it would be very foolish if Gordon Brown was to impose a whip on what is essentially an ethical issue."