More Human Fertilisation and Embryology Controversy

The Human Fertilisation and the Embryology Bill has raised controversy again recently particularly in relation to the creation of hybrid animal/human embryos to aid stem cell research. The Catholic Church has raised it's concerns resulting in pressure being put on the Government to allow a free vote in the House of Commons to enable MPs to vote with their conscience. But where has the Catholic Church been whilst the bill has been progressing through the House of Lords. Obviously the Lords did not win the scientific argument so the Church has had to intervene firstly condemning the practice as one of the new seven deadly sins and then by intervening in the political process.

As a result and respecting the fact that MPs may have a crisis of conscience between their religious beliefs and that of the manifesto on which they were elected or with their electorate, Gordon Brown announced yesterday that the free vote would be allowed on what was said to be the three most controversial areas of the bill.

Disappointingly this is to include the proposals to prevent fertility clinics from refusing treatment to single women and lesbians - under current legislation clinics must take account of the welfare of the unborn child including "the need for a father". The bill proposes to replace this requirement with the "need for supportive parenting" to be considered. Obviously, there may be MPs who wish to retain the requirement for consideration to be given to "the need for a father".

It should be noted that Gordon Brown has indicated that he will support the removal of the clause.

UNISON prepares for pay campaign

UNISON will unite and bring its whole strength to bear over the next few months against what general secretary Dave Prentis called "the most unjust pay policy I've ever seen". That was the message given at the pay summit where members met to discuss the government's attempt to limit public-sector pay over the next three years to just 2%. Inflation has been more than 4% for the past year, making 2% rises a pay cut in real terms. Pay rises in the private sector are running at around 3.5%-4%. Discussions took place on how to build and organise a campaign for the reward and pay rises public-service workers deserve, both across the 1.3-million strong union and across the six-million strong public service workforce, working with other unions in the various public-service sectors. The government says its pay policy, announced in last autumn's comprehensive spending review, is about tackling inflation but incomes experts pointed out that that public-sector pay isn't counted in the inflation index: and public-service pay rises don't increase inflation - repeating a message from leading economists, quoted in a Financial Times report headlined "Inflation driven by potatoes" - inflation is about the cost of what people buy, not what public-service providers earn.

In two weeks time, MPs are to vote on a 2.8% pay rise. Gordon Brown has urged them to accept 1.9% but MPs will get a free vote. The vote is based on recommendations from the Senior Salaries Pay Board. But 2.8% or even 1.9% on an annual salary of £60, 675 is still a big pay increase by my calculations - a lot more substantial than what a lot of our members are earning. This could be the last ime that MPs do get the chanc to vote on their pay increase though as a review is to be carried out to examine the use of objective criteria to establish MPs pay.

Changing sides? Quentin Davies, Conservative MP for Grantham and Stamford defects to Labour

Quentin Davies has defected from the Tories to join Labour. His letter of resignation is blogged elsewhere. In it he says that he is looking forward to joinging a party which has just acquired a leader which he has always greatly admired, whom he believes is entirely straightforward, and who has a towering record, and a clear vision for the future of our country which he fully shares. Whereas in a speech by Davies two years prior to his defection he described Gordon Brown as "extraordinarily incompetent", "imprudent", "extraordinarily naïve" and said in conclusion "I trust and believe that something nasty will happen to the Chancellor in electoral terms before too long. He will have no one but himself to blame."

Does Davies see something in the New Labour Leader Woodshed that has made him change his viewsand or our policies really becoming that alligned with the Tories to make someone with opinions and a voting record like Davies defect? He has stong anti-gay views and voted against the right of gay and unmarried couples to adopt. He also voted strongly in favour of the Iraq War but on a slightly positive note moderately against the introduction of foundation hospitals. That may have been just to oppose the Government and not due to any strongly held beliefs though.

Tory peer Tebbit said: "This defection will raise the average standard of members on the Conservative side and lower it on the Labour side." Shadow industry secretary Alan Duncan said Mr Davies was "not socially liberal" and against "a changed Conservative Party" and added: "basically he's quite grand and old fashioned, and I'm surprised that he finds that the Labour Party will offer him a happy home for those attitudes." But former Conservative MP Lord Temple Morris, who defected to Labour in 1998, said Mr Davies's decision showed "guts".

A taste of what's in store?

Only just anointed and Gordon Brown has announced that he is to reduce the power of the unions on Labour Party Conference floor. See BBC News Report for more details. His new deputy Harriet Harman did not get any union nominations. And now she denies having said that the Government should apologise for Iraq during the Newsnight hustings.

This raises concerns already. Before the Deputy Leadership results were out, there was Gordon offering Peter Hain's job to a Liberal Democrat and then he has already given Hazel's job to Harriet.

So what does Mr Brown have up his sleeve? The next week should be very interesting as he appoints to the cabinet. Let's hope that he makes some sensible choices particularly where the runner ups are concerned.

See here for an interesting analysis of the deputy leadership election results which I found as a link from Jons Union Blog.

Pink News reported that LGBT Labour welcomed Brown and Harman however, a PinkNews.co.uk poll of gay Labour party members found that Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain was the first choice of 25% of gay party members. Party chair Hazel Blears took 19% of first preferences, followed by 16% for backbench candidate Jon Cruddas. Harriet Harman polled 15%, Alan Johnson 14% and Hilary Benn 11%. See here for full article.