Gregory Campbell

From Skeptical Voter Wiki

Gregory Campbell is the DUP MP for East Londonderry, and an MLA for the East Londonderry assembly constituency.

Healthcare

Abortion

In May 2008 in the abortion amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (now Act), Gregory Campbell voted for the abortion time limit to be lowered to 12 weeks against scientific and medical consensus which is currently 24 weeks^[1]. After four separate parliamentary votes on varying time limits, the majority of MPs voted to keep the abortion time limit at 24 weeks, in keeping with scientific and medical consensus, hence no abortion amendments were added to the bill. Also the Abortion Act 1967 does not currently apply to Northern Ireland.

MMR Vaccine

Gregory Campbell signed the February 2009 Early Day Motion 754: MMR Vaccine and the Media supporting the use of the MMR vaccine. The motion expressed disappointment with the reporting of the vaccine by Jeni Barnett on her LBC radio show in January 2009, and expressed the hope that future reporting of the issue of MMR would be less sensationalist and more evidence-based.^[2]

Homeopathy

Following the publication of the House of Commons' Science and Technology Committee's report "Evidence Check 2: Homeopathy" in February 2010, Gregory Campbell signed Early Day Motion 908: Science and Technology Committee Report on Homeopathy, which was critical of the report^[3].

In June 2010, Campbell signed Early Day Motions 285: Effect of Homeopathic Remedies on Breast Cancer Cells^[4], 286: Homeopathic Medicines in the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Depression^[5], and 287: Homeopathy and Chronic Primary Insomnia^[6].

Science Funding

In September and December 2010, Gregory Campbell signed, respectively, Early Day Motions 707: Government Funding for UK Science^[7], and 767: Science is Vital Campaign^[8]. Both motions supported investment in science in the face of cuts anticipated in the coalition government's October spending review. By the time Campbell signed EDM 767 the spending review's conclusions had been announced and cuts to science were significantly less than anticipated.

Religion

Freedom of Religion

Gregory Campbell signed the March 2007 Early Day Motion 1770 supporting freedom of religion and welcoming the launch of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain^[9].

Atheist Bus Campaign

Following the adverts bought by the Atheist Bus Campaign on public transport in January 2009, Campbell proposed Early Day Motion 424 claiming that the rationale behind the adverts was that non-religious people can be less careful about their lifestyle choices and life's consequences^[10], and seconded Early Day Motion 403 calling the adverts "religiously offensive and morally unhelpful"^[11].

Faith based Adoption Agencies

In 2007, Gregory Campbell signed Early Day Motion 742 calling on the government to exclude "faith based" adoption agencies from the Equality Act to avoid such agencies being forced to consider gay couples.^[12]

Blasphemy Law

On 6th May 2008, Gregory Campbell voted with the four other DUP MPs present against a Lords amendment to abolish the common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel^[13]. The amendment was nonetheless passed by a vote of 378 to 57.

Same-Sex Marriage

In 2012 Mr Campbell signed the Coalition for Marriage petition which stated:

"I support the legal definition of marriage which is the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others. I oppose any attempt to redefine it."^[14]

The Coalition for Marriage describes itself as "an umbrella group of individuals and organisations ... backed by politicians, lawyers, academics and religious leaders"^[15]. They are supported by the Evangelical Alliance^[16] and former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey^[17], and have connections with other Christian groups^[18].

The group claims it "draws upon a substantial body of evidence". However, science and evidence-based politics blogger Martin Robbins described their argument as "confused, irrational and ultimately self-defeating"^[19].

References

External Links

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[0] ttp://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmsctech/1045/104502.htm

[1] ttp://www.parliament.uk/edm/2008-09/754

[2] ttp://www.parliament.uk/edm/2009-10/908

[3] ttp://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/285

[4] ttp://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/286

[5] ttp://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/287

[6] ttp://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/707

[7] ttp://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/767

[8] ttp://www.parliament.uk/edm/2006-07/1770

[9] ttp://www.parliament.uk/edm/2008-09/424

[10] ttp://www.parliament.uk/edm/2008-09/403

[11] ttp://www.parliament.uk/edm/2006-07/742

[12] ttp://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2008-05-06&number=170&display=allvotes

[13] ttp://c4m.org.uk/signatures/

[14] ttp://c4m.org.uk/aboutus/

[15] ttp://www.eauk.org/articles/coalition-for-marriage-launched.cfm

[16] ttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17102352

[17] ttp://bengoldacre.posterous.com/thinking-out-loud-who-are-the-coalition-for-m

[18] ttp://www.guardian.co.uk/science/the-lay-scientist/2012/feb/20/1

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