Merseyside MPs defy ‘Frankenstein’ warming over embryo vote

May 20 2008 by Rob Merrick, Liverpool Daily Post, at Westminster

BRITAIN’S MPs last night defied stark Church warnings about "Frankenstein science" to over-whelmingly back new laws offer-ing hope to sufferers from crippl-ing diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and cystic fibrosis.

They voted to allow the use of controversial part-human, part-animal hybrid embryos for stem cell research – to tackle a critical shortage of human eggs – by 336 votes to 176, a majority of 160.

The result came as a relief to Gordon Brown, who had personally urged MPs to back the measure in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, because it had the potential to improve "millions of lives".

But it will anger Church leaders who condemned the mixing of human and animal genetics as "monstrous". One branded the work "experiments of Frankenstein proportions".

The vote came despite the fierce opposition of Merseyside's Catholic MPs, who backed an attempt to ban the research spear-headed by Tory MP Edward Leigh.

Joe Benton (Lab; Bootle), Ben Chapman (Lab; Wirral South), Rosie Cooper (Lab; West Lancashire), Frank Field (Lab; Birkenhead) , Helen Jones (Lab; Warrington North), Peter Kilfoyle (Lab; Liverpool Walton), John Pugh (Lib Dem; Southport), Derek Twigg (Lab; Halton) and Bob Wareing (Ind; Liverpool West Derby) all voted for a ban.

But other MPs, who enjoyed a free vote on a "conscience" issue, were swayed by scientists' pleas that research is the key to break-throughs in the treatment of genetic diseases.

They included Angela Eagle (Lab; Wallasey), Maria Eagle (Lab; Liverpool Garston), Louise Ell-man (Lab; Liverpool Riverside), George Howarth (Lab; Knowsley North and Sefton East), Jane Ken-nedy (Lab; Liverpool Wavertree) and Eddie O'Hara (Lab; Knowsley South).

Later, a bid to ban scientists from creating "true" animal-human hybrid embryos – made up of 50% human and 50% animal DNA – was also rejected, by 286 votes to 223, a majority of 63.

There was further crunch votes last night on the "need for a father" before fertility treatment and on cutting the 24-week time limit for most abortions. The Government had insisted hybrid embryos were required for research because, currently, eggs can only be produced by stimula-ting a woman's ovaries – a painful, and risky, procedure.

Furthermore, the "admixed" embryos will be allowed to grow in a laboratory for just 14 days – to harvest stem cells for research – before being destroyed.

Dawn Primarolo, the health minister, insisted any scientist wishing to create a hybrid embryo would have to prove to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) that there was no alternative.

She added: "Not simply that they want to try it as scientists, but that it is necessary and no other route of research will enable the development of the science to understand the development of the treatment."

At the weekend, Mr Brown – whose one-year-old son Fraser has cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening inherited disease – said Britons should not "turn our back" on vital scientific advances.

Yesterday, Conservative leader David Cameron, who also has a severely disabled son, said why he supported the measure: "I want to see the research go forward."

Should this type of embryo research be allowed? How the region’s MPs voted

Joe Benton (Lab; Bootle) NO

Ben Chapman (Lab; Wirral South) NO

Rosie Cooper (Lab; West Lancashire) NO

Claire Curtis-Thomas (Lab; Crosby) Did not vote

Angela Eagle (Lab; Wallasey) YES

Maria Eagle (Lab; Liverpool Garston) YES

Louise Ellman (Lab; Liverpool Riverside) YES

Frank Field (Lab; Birkenhead) NO

Mike Hall (Lab; Weaver Vale) YES

Stephen Hesford (Lab; Wirral West) Did not vote

George Howarth (Lab; Knowsley North and Sefton East) YES

Helen Jones (Lab; Warrington North) NO

Jane Kennedy (Lab; Liverpool Wavertree) YES

Peter Kilfoyle (Lab; Liverpool Walton) NO

Andrew Miller (Lab; Ellesmere Port and Neston) YES

Stephen O'Brien (Con; Eddisbury) Did not vote

Eddie O'Hara (Lab; Knowsley South) YES

George Osborne (Con; Tatton) YES

John Pugh (Lib-Dem; Southport) NO

Christine Russell (Lab; City of Chester) Did not vote

Helen Southworth (Lab; Warrington South) YES

Derek Twigg (Lab; Halton) NO

Bob Wareing (Ind; Liverpool West Derby) NO

Dave Watts (Lab; St Helens North) Did not vote

Shaun Woodward (Lab; St Helens South) Did not vote