Prime Minister Gordon Brown has given MPs a free vote on three areas of the new Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

They are:

• Preventing fertility clinics from refusing treatment to single women and lesbians.


• Creating a child with the correct tissue match to save a sick brother or sister.


• Creating hybrid embryos to aid stem cell research.

Father Michael Weymes, parish priest of St Bede's and Holy Rosary RC Churches, Father Darren Maslen, team vicar of All Saints, West Harton, and Father Martin Wray, vicar of St Lawrence's, all in South Shields, are united in their opposition to the latter.

They have teamed up to "give a voice to those in our community who share the church's views" on the ethical issues surrounding the Bill, which attracted criticism from senior churchmen over Easter.

By speaking out, they hope to put pressure on thier MP and Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, to vote against that aspect of the Bill.

In a joint statement they said: "Unless we temper the excesses of science, however well-intentioned, and this complete disregard for human life, society will be perilously close to losing its soul.

"We contest the argument that religion should be kept out of politics. It is the role of the church to be the moral conscience of the nation."

The clergymen are responding to recent remarks made by the Rt Rev Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham, who said this was not an issue for Catholics alone.

He said it was something that all denominations should be involved with and actively campaigning against.

They added: "We hope that by making such a public statement of witness and conscience, it will inspire concerned members of our own communities and other clergymen to join us in making their views felt.

"In particular, we want to make known to Mr Miliband the faith communities' opposition to this Bill.

"We are happy to advise anyone on how to respond according to their consciences to this Bill."

To read their statement in full, continue to the next page.