Conscience clause

It BEGGARS belief that Catholic midwives Mary Doogan and Concepta Wood have been forced to take legal action against NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board in order to secure their right of conscience to refuse to participate in abortions (your report, 18 January).

How the health board can argue that its requirement of these midwives to “delegate, supervise and support other staff” in abortion procedures does not equate to a breach of that conscience right is fallacious.

Would any of us accept the plea of a terrorist who claimed he was not guilty of a crime because he merely handled the logistics of a terror attack?

There may be those who would protest abortion is not on a par with such atrocity, but for Roman Catholics there is no distinction.

I believe terminating innocent human life, no matter what the excuse, is morally wrong and no individual should ever be forced against conscience to participate either surgically, logistically or in a supervisory capacity.

Martin Blackshaw

Glen Road

Livingston

West Lothian