A Socialist Utopia

I sat in the chamber of the HOC, for the first time in months, to watch a debate last night. It made a nice change to streaming the 'action' to a small window on my PC - which is a peculiar thing to do given it all happens less than 10 metres from where I sit!

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill; committee stage, which won't mean anything to most of my blog readers!

Already provisions had passed allowing scientists to create 'human-animal hybrid embryos' for research and to genetically select 'saviour siblings' to implant in mothers and eventually, as children, provide tissue transplants to very sick siblings.

Up for debate were 'the need for a father' and reduction in the time limit for abortions (of healthy babies) from 24 weeks to 22 or 20 (since babies are now being aborted who would survive outside the womb with modern neo-natal care).

You can read about it here. Or watch it here. Try Patrick Cormack @ 3:36:30 or Nadine Dorries @ 6:46:00 but the whole debate is really interesting.

Here's my little subtext to the debate: while the vote on the need for a father was taking place I ducked out to have a drink with a bunch of MPs staff - a colleague's farewell party.

One researcher was watching the TV, hugely interested in the result of the vote. Not because she gave a fag about the issue, she made that very clear, but it was her MPs amendment (which she'd drafted) that was being voted on. Good law? Bad law? Who cares! Just do what you can to get recognised and get your name on the statute book.

Another researcher, fresh out of uni, told me the other day that he'd got himself elected to the local council. He didn't really want to do it, it was just 'another box you've got to tick', on the to becoming an MP. Inspirational!

That's the funny thing about Westminster, so many researchers climbing the greasy pole to become an MP so they can........be an MP. Vacuous ambition.

I hope my colleagues don't read my blog.