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| Brown criticised over embryo bill | Brown criticised over embryo bill |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The leader of the Catholic church in Scotland has urged Gordon Brown to rethink "monstrous" plans to allow hybrid human-animal embryos. | The leader of the Catholic church in Scotland has urged Gordon Brown to rethink "monstrous" plans to allow hybrid human-animal embryos. |
| Cardinal Keith O'Brien will use his Easter Sunday sermon to launch a scathing attack on the government's controversial proposals. | Cardinal Keith O'Brien will use his Easter Sunday sermon to launch a scathing attack on the government's controversial proposals. |
| He will also call on the prime minister to allow Labour MPs a free vote on the issue at Westminster. | He will also call on the prime minister to allow Labour MPs a free vote on the issue at Westminster. |
| Mr Brown has said the bill would improve research into many illnesses. | Mr Brown has said the bill would improve research into many illnesses. |
| Supporters of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill believe hybrid embryos could lead to cures for diseases including multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. | Supporters of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill believe hybrid embryos could lead to cures for diseases including multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. |
| Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Mr Brown said: "This is an important bill that improves the facilities for research and is vital for dealing with life-threatening diseases." | Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Mr Brown said: "This is an important bill that improves the facilities for research and is vital for dealing with life-threatening diseases." |
| We are about to have a public government endorsement of experiments of Frankenstein proportions Cardinal Keith O'Brien | We are about to have a public government endorsement of experiments of Frankenstein proportions Cardinal Keith O'Brien |
| But in his sermon, which was released on Friday, Cardinal O'Brien will claim that the bill would lead to the endorsement of experiments of "Frankenstein proportions". | But in his sermon, which was released on Friday, Cardinal O'Brien will claim that the bill would lead to the endorsement of experiments of "Frankenstein proportions". |
| He will say: "This bill represents a monstrous attack on human rights, human dignity and human life. | He will say: "This bill represents a monstrous attack on human rights, human dignity and human life. |
| "In some European countries one could be jailed for doing what we intend to make legal. | "In some European countries one could be jailed for doing what we intend to make legal. |
| "I can say that the government has no mandate for these changes: they were not in any election manifesto, nor do they enjoy widespread public support." | "I can say that the government has no mandate for these changes: they were not in any election manifesto, nor do they enjoy widespread public support." |
| The cardinal will describe the practice as "grotesque" and "hideous". | The cardinal will describe the practice as "grotesque" and "hideous". |
| He will add: "One might say that in our country we are about to have a public government endorsement of experiments of Frankenstein proportions - without many people really being aware of what is going on." | He will add: "One might say that in our country we are about to have a public government endorsement of experiments of Frankenstein proportions - without many people really being aware of what is going on." |
| Free vote | Free vote |
| Cardinal O'Brien will go on to call for the establishment of a "single permanent national bioethics commission". | Cardinal O'Brien will go on to call for the establishment of a "single permanent national bioethics commission". |
| He has written to Mr Brown to tell him that this would be the only way in which the issue could be "adequately discussed". | He has written to Mr Brown to tell him that this would be the only way in which the issue could be "adequately discussed". |
| A proposed amendment to the bill, which would have prohibited the creation of inter-species embryos - known as human admixed embryos - was defeated by 268 votes to 96 in the House of Lords in January. | A proposed amendment to the bill, which would have prohibited the creation of inter-species embryos - known as human admixed embryos - was defeated by 268 votes to 96 in the House of Lords in January. |
| Labour peers were instructed to follow the party whip by voting against the proposed amendment. | Labour peers were instructed to follow the party whip by voting against the proposed amendment. |
| Conservative leader David Cameron has called on Mr Brown to allow Labour MPs to have a free vote on the bill when it returns to the House of Commons later in the year. | Conservative leader David Cameron has called on Mr Brown to allow Labour MPs to have a free vote on the bill when it returns to the House of Commons later in the year. |
| Free votes allow MPs to vote according to their own beliefs rather than following the party whip. | Free votes allow MPs to vote according to their own beliefs rather than following the party whip. |
| Mr Brown has said a decision on whether a free vote will be held will be taken "in due course". |