Gordon Brown vows to win embryo fight

Health Secretary Alan Johnson defended the move saying the embryos could help cure diseases affecting millions of people.

But Labour MPs and church leaders warned it would lead to "mad scientists" mixing animals and humans in Frankenstein-style experiments.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, now going through Parliament, allows the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos for medical research.

The embryos develop stem cells - the body's master cells - which can be used to grow any sort of human tissue.

The tissue can then be used as a repair kit to tackle illnesses such Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's diabetes, multiple sclerosis or motor neurone disease.

But church leaders used Easter Sunday to launch a savage attack on the planned new law and demand that Mr Brown allows a free vote on the issue.

Labour MP Ronnie Campbell warned: "You give scientists an inch and they take a mile. They're all mad."

Catholic leader in England and Wales Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor urged Catholic MPs, including ministers Ruth Kelly, Des Browne and Paul Murphy, to be guided by their convictions.

He said: "There ought to be a free vote because Catholics and others will want to vote according to their conscience."

Mr Johnson insisted the Bill would go through because it was vital for medical research. He added: "There is one reason for the research around this controversial issue and that is preventing some of the worst diseases that we have in this country."

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

Q. What experiments will law allow?
A. The creation of embryos by injecting an empty cow or rabbit egg with human DNA. A burst of electricity is then used to trick the egg into dividing regularly, so that it becomes an embryo

Q. How does this help fight disease?
A. Embryos have stem cells - master cells - which can be harvested and used to develop all other sorts of body tissues. These tissues can then be transplanted to cure diseases

Q. Any other uses?
A. Yes. Disease-infected embryos could be created to see how illnesses like cancer and HIV develop so they could possibly be stopped

Q. Why the objections?
A. Religious leaders say it attacks the sanctity of human life allowing scientists to play God by creating and destroying life in Frankenstein experiments

Q. Could it lead to human-animal crossing?
A. Theoretically yes but the law says the embryos must be destroyed after 14 days to ensure they are not implanted into the womb of a woman

Q. Why not just use human eggs?
A. There is a huge shortage of human eggs available for research

Q. Are there any other controversial areas of Bill?
A. Yes it could reduce the time limit for abortion and allow embryo screening to identify defects before birth

Q. When will this all be decided?
A. This year - probably May - but no date for the crucial Second Reading has yet been fixed. The row blew up because church leaders used Easter sermons to attack the new law

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