News,
Top stories:A senior adviser to Britain's ruling Labour party has said that China's one-child policy has had a "positive impact" on the Chinese economy. Lord Adair Turner, writing for a philosophy journal, said that the policy had allowed China to develop without "severe political and social tensions". Robert Whelan of Civitas, the think-tank, said he regretted Lord Turner's comments, and questioned "his analysis that the one-child policy is responsible for China's economic" progress. [
Daily Mail, 22 September]
http://is.gd/3yioaBoth the prime minister and opposition leader in Britain have commented on moves to allow assisted suicide. A spokesman for Gordon Brown, the prime minister,
restated Mr Brown's opposition to assisted suicide but would not be drawn on draft guidelines, due to be issued tomorrow, on prosecuting cases of assisting suicide. David Cameron, the opposition leader,
called moves to tolerate assisted suicide "dangerous for society". John Smeaton, SPUC director, commented: "We must hold these politicians to account." [
SPUC director's blog, 22 September]
http://is.gd/3zcutOther stories:Abortion Embryology; stem cells IVF; fertility treatment Population Sexual health; teenage pregnancies Maternal health and unborn health Euthanasia and assisted suicide; disability - Christian lawyers call for assisted suicide rules change to be halted, question impartiality of Britain's most senior judge [Telegraph, 22 September] http://is.gd/3yfsx
- Prime minister Gordon Brown repeats personal opposition, claims government neutrality on assisted suicide [Downing Street Says, 21 September] http://is.gd/3ykBm
- Opposition leader David Cameron says assisted suicide is "dangerous for society" [Daily Mail, 22 September] http://is.gd/3yhJu
- Prominent commentator David Aaronovitch backs assisted suicide [Times, 22 September] http://is.gd/3ykbx
- Minister claims Scots government to amend incapacity act practice code to ensure no euthanasia by denial of food or fluids [Wired Gov, 21 September] http://is.gd/3yeZF
- Merseyside medics defend Liverpool Care Pathway [Liverpool Daily Post, 22 September] http://is.gd/3ygau
- Palliative care doctor disputes Times letter by anti-euthanasia doctor [Times, 22 September] http://is.gd/3yjUV
- Assisting suicide won't be prosecuted unless motives were ulterior. DPP to publish draft guidance Wed. Care Not Killing cautious [Telegraph, 19 September] Two Labour MPs debate for & against reported draft guidance [Times, 21 September] http://is.gd/3vGyMWoman's personal account before committing suicide at Dignitas centre [Times, 20 September] http://is.gd/3vHw9
- Palliative carers should pay more attention to hydration, writes anti-euthanasia doctor [Times, 21 September] http://is.gd/3vGLZ
- Australian quadriplegic who won case to refuse food & water dies from chest infection [AP via USA Today, 21 September] http://is.gd/3vEah
- Irish Times newspaper again parrots Law Reform Commission's claims that Mental Capacity Bill won't change euthanasia law [Irish Times, 21 September] http://is.gd/3vFeR
Marriage and family; sexual ethics General and miscellaneous To subscribe to SPUC's email information services, please visit www.spuc.org.uk/em-signup. The reliability of the news herein is dependent on that of the cited sources, which are paraphrased rather than quoted. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the society. © Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, 2018