Sudden outbreak of rational and liberal legislation in UK.

Despite the best efforts of a number of religious institutions, including some imported branches of fundamentalist evangelism from the US, we have just had several postive legislative results related to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. I realise this isn't strictly EvC material but it touches on the conflict between science and religious fundamentalism.An ammendment to ban the creation of human/animal chimerical or cytoplasmic hybrid embryos was defeated by a substantial majority in a free vote. BBC NEWS | Politics | MPs back hybrid embryo researchA proposal to remove laws requiring that children produced by IVF have both a father and a mother. Obviously they do actually have them biologically the question is whether there should be a legal requirement for a male parental figure in the upbringing of the child. this legislation was considered to be discriminatory against lesbian couples wishing to have children via IVF. BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | MPs reject need for father in IVFAnd just today a motion to reduce the limit on abortion from 24 weeks to 20 weeks, a move spearheaded by an imported branch of the religious right, has been defeated. BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | MPs back 24-week abortion limitLastly is the rejection of a proposal to ban the creation of 'saviour siblings' to help seriously ill children, a practice which is being widened in the HFEA. BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | MPs reject 'saviour sibling' banIt is particularly impressive that all of these were the result of free votes and that it was peoples own thoughts and conscience that produced this series of liberal and progressive votes.TTFN,WK

Embryology bill: How the cabinet/shadow cabinet voted Source: news.bbc.co.ukGreat, so we already have idiot Labour and now idiot Tories. Need to see how the senior Lib Dems voted...Edited by cavediver, : No reason given.

TheyWorkForYou: Hansard and Official Reports for the UK Parliament, Scottish Parliament, and Northern Ireland Assembly - done right will let you know how your MP voted.

Nice to see that the vote was not as close as expected, too. Another reason not to vote Tory and I just bet with the amount of opinion for the status que they won't bring this one up in a hurry.

This is excellent news, especially for those children who are suffering from illnesses that could be treated using so-called "saviour siblings". It seems unjustifiable to me that a parent should have to sit and watch a child die just to appease someone else's religious beliefs.The anti-abortion movement in the UK is held beck, in my opinion, by it's overt religious allegiances, mostly to the Catholic church or the few (but very vocal) evangelical groups. I think this turns a lot of people away, including MP's who are well aware that we live in a plural society and dare not curry favour with one group at the expense of another.We don't do God in British politics.

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Mutate and Survive

OH MY GOD THE RED COATS ARE COMING!

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I'm trying to see things your way, but I can't put my head that far up my ass.

Yes, Butlin's is a pretty horrific place. Not perhaps as bad as Jesus Camp though.TTFN,WK