Fertilisation and Embryology Bill: Church and State continued

Full Coverage of UK Politics
The division list for the second reading of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill last night makes interesting reading.  Not for the modest Labour rebellion against the legislation (nine MPs voted against the entire bill; lots more rebels are keeping their powder dry for the detailed committee stages) but for the Labour people who voted for it.

Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, and Paul Murphy, the Northern Ireland Secretary, both obediently trooped through the Aye lobby. Both are devout Catholics who had previously expressed grave doubts about the legislation and had endured dire threats from their Cardinals about the spritual consequences of backing it. Surely their decision to put Labour before the Church has nothing to do with this summer's reshuffle, as some cynical whips mutter?

And if careers really are to be made and lost over this bill, what can we make of Ruth Kelly's absence from the vote last night? The Transport Secretary of course had entirely legitimate ministerial business elsewhere. But that cuts little ice with some of her colleagues who are, shall we say, curious about her future career prospects.

P.S. – For the record, the nine Labour rebels were: Joe Benton (Bootle); Tom Clarke (Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill); Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby); David Drew (Stroud); Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme); Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock); George Mudie (Leeds East); Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale); David Taylor (Leicestershire North West).