Scottish Christian.com

Home > News > Scottish Christian News Monitor

Curran risks alienating Catholics in Glasgow East

Margaret Curran, the Labour candidate in the Glasgow East by-election, pledged yesterday to support the Government's controversial Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, if she becomes an MP.

Her support came despite a withering attack on Labour over the issue by Bishop Joseph Devine, the second most senior Catholic churchman in Scotland, whose diocese covers the constituency.

The bishop accused Labour of “violating moral law” and “losing ethical credibility”, adding that Labour had lost the electorate's trust and could no longer take Catholic support for granted.

Ms Curran detailed her position on the Bill during a televised debate on the BBC's The Politics Show yesterday between the four main party candidates. “I do think morals and ethics are important, obviously I wouldn't agree with him [Bishop Devine]. I have followed the debate; I would vote with the Government,” she said.

SNP policy is for a free vote on the Bill, but John Mason, the Nationalist candidate, said that he would vote against it if elected.

Mr Mason, a Baptist, said: “Coming from a faith community background I assume we should not be doing that kind of research and think there are other ways of dealing with that.”

Full story at The Times.