In an open letter which was sent to all peers, the religious leaders said the proposals deserved to be examined in more detail than than that allowed by a brief parliamentary debate. The Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, said that the research had disturbing implications. And it is unnecessary. There are other ways of achieving stem cells from other sources, from adults, which will achieve the same ends. If passed, the government's plans would permit limited human cloning which, say its detractors, would lead to full cloning in the future.
Human cloning is, at present, illegal across the world.
The government is abusing parliamentary procedure here. Lord Alton, the crossbencher who suggested the amendment, said he was confident his colleagues would support him.