Ministers urged to quit in ‘Frankenstein’ law furore

The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland yesterday urged Catholic ministers to quit Gordon Brown’s Cabinet rather than support “monstrous” legislation on embryo research.

Cardinal Keith O’Brien also said there was an “obligation” on all Catholic MPs to consider the guidance of church leaders when they vote on the controversial Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

The cardinal said it was ultimately a matter of individual conscience, but he hoped that Catholic ministers would be prepared to resign rather than back legislation allowing experiments of “Frankenstein proportion”.

His intervention came amid reports that Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy is preparing to quit the Cabinet rather than back the bill which would allow scientists to create hybrid human-animal embryos for research.

Two other Catholics in the Cabinet – Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly and Defence Secretary Des Browne – are also reported to be deeply unhappy at the situation.

Because the bill is government legislation, a three-line whip would normally be imposed on all Labour MPs to vote for it – as happened to Labour peers when it was introduced in the Lords.

The cardinal – who is set to make the bill the subject of his Easter Sunday sermon – urged the prime minister to give Labour MPs a free vote, as the Tory and Lib Dem leaders have done.

If the prime minister refused, the cardinal said he hoped ministers would be prepared to resign.

“I would like to think that many would seriously consider that option, but they must act according to their conscience,” he told a radio interviewer.

He made clear that all Catholic MPs had a duty to consider the church’s advice when deciding how to vote.

“There is an obligation on me personally, as a church leader, to offer guidance on this vitally important matter and I think there is an obligation on Catholic members of Parliament to seriously consider what I or any other Catholic church leader is saying to them,” he said.

Cardinal O'Brien also dismissed any compromise which would allow ministers to keep their jobs if they abstained in the vote.

Government Chief Whip Geoff Hoon has reportedly offered Labour MPs the option of writing to him asking to be excused from voting on religious or ethical grounds.

The cardinal said that would simply be a “denial” and “abdication” of their responsibilities as MPs.

Labour MP Geraldine Smith, herself a Catholic, said: “I would be very, very surprised at the end of the day if we didn’t end up with a free vote on this matter.”

However, Labour MP Brian Iddon, who supports the bill, said: “I don’t think that the government is going to allow people to vote against a key government bill.”

In his sermon, the cardinal will say: “This bill represents a monstrous attack on human rights, human dignity and human life.

“The government has no mandate for these changes. They were not in any election manifesto, nor do they enjoy widespread public support.”

“We are about to have a government endorsement of experiments of Frankenstein proportion.”

The Department of Health said it had only introduced the legislation after listening very carefully to arguments from the scientific community about the need to create “hybrid” embryos.

The bill had already been closely scrutinised by parliamentary select committees, and passed by the Lords.

“There will be a limit of 14 days’ development of the embryo, and they cannot be put in a woman or an animal,” a spokeswoman said.

“This is not about ‘creating monsters’. It is purely laboratory research, and is aimed at increasing knowledge about serious diseases and treatments for them.”

The SNP’s Westminster leader, Angus Robertson, said: “It is essential MPs are allowed a free vote on this issue so they are not forced to compromise their beliefs.

“There will be no whip on SNP MPs, and I encourage Gordon Brown to allow Labour MPs the same right – there is no place for Gordon Brown’s control freakery on such sensitive proposals.”

Leading scientists accused the Roman Catholic Church of “scaremongering” over research which had the potential to save many lives.

“This is yet another example where it is clear that the Catholic Church is misrepresenting science because it doesn’t understand the basic facts,” said Dr Stephen Minger, director of the stem cell biology laboratory at King’s College London.

“The church should carefully review the science.”