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Nicklinson-Lamb euthanasia ruling welcomed but 'Martin' assisted suicide ruling carries danger for disabled people

SPUC Pro-Life has welcomed the fact that the murder law has been upheld in today’s judgment in the Nicklinson and Lamb euthanasia cases. However, the majority judgment in the case of the anonymous third man, 'Martin', is deeply disturbing. Paul Tully, SPUC Pro-Life's general secretary, said: "If implemented it could encourage the pro-euthanasia lobby to recruit paid medical and legal professionals to organise the suicides of suffering and disabled people. [SPUC, 31 July]

Ethical campaigners saddened by final approval of Wales opt-out organ bill

Ethical campaigners have expressed their sadness following final approval of a bill in Wales to create an opt-out system for organ transplantation. Members of the Wales region of SPUC are saddened that the Secretary of State for Wales has decided not to use his powers to block the Human Transplantation (Wales) Bill from being sent to Her Majesty the Queen for Royal Assent. Michael Wendell Thomas, vice-chairman of SPUC's Wales region, said: "A collective weight of opinion has demonstrated that implementation of the Bill will be fraught with risk. "Members of SPUC's Wales region will remain vigilant regarding this ill-considered piece of legislation. We will campaign wherever possible to mitigate the effects that it may have on the weak and vulnerable in our midst. [SPUC, 31 July]

Family campaigners worldwide must protest against Cameron’s plan to export same-sex marriage

SPUC is calling upon family campaigners worldwide to protest against the British prime minister’s plan to export same-sex marriage, following David Cameron’s speech last night at a reception at No. 10 Downing Street, the prime ministerial residence, to thank those who had engineered the rail-roading of Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act through Parliament. John Smeaton, SPUC’s chief executive, called for international resistance to the British prime minister’s global plans to impose sexual licence on children and poor families. He said: "SPUC will be contacting church leaders, politicians and family campaigners worldwide to alert them to this threat by the British government, asking them to protest to the British embassies in their countries. Same-sex marriage is a counterfeit version of marriage and thus undermines real marriage, which is the best protector of children, both born and unborn. [SPUC, 25 July]

Other stories:

Abortion

• Ireland’s pregnancy law open to challenge [Pat Buckley, 30 July]
• Congresswoman rejects abortion, baby becomes first ever to survive Potter’s syndrome [LifeSiteNews.com, 30 July]
• Mother, 20, who was repeatedly told to abort baby lost him 19 minutes after birth [Mail, 29 July]
• Realistic description of abortion necessary in sanitised debate of half-truths [Pat Buckley, 26 July]
• I faked a student pregnancy, and I was horrified by the reaction [Independent, 23 July]

Embryology and stem cells

• Scientists grow human tooth using stem cells taken from urine [Independent, 30 July]

Population

• Madagascar bishops and clergy complain about Catholic Relief Services' activities [Population Research Institute, 1 August]
• China slammed by US State Department for policies that encourage trafficking in persons [Pat Buckley, 31 July]

Sexual ethics

• UK: Gay couple to sue church over gay marriage opt-out [Christian Institute, 1 August]
• Court asked to sterilise man with learning difficulties [Telegraph, 1 August]
• School bins sex education DVD for being too graphic [This is Sussex, 1 August]
• France: Sperm donor granted visiting rights to the child of a same-sex couple [Pink News, 1 August]
• Local Tories ‘still very unhappy’ over gay marriage [Christian Institute, 31 July]
• Stay-at-home mothers are the happiest [Mail, 31 July]
• Some Minnesotans are more sad than bitter over gay marriage [StarTribune, 31 July]

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