New Government

So, there we have it. New Prime Minister, new Government, even if it's not made up with one single party. But, as I write this, it's not clear who exactly will make that administration up yet. Before we reflect on this, it's a good time to say good-riddance to the last lot.

Under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, the last Labour Government has been the most anti-life in British history and arguably one of the most anti-Catholic since Penal times. They have legalised euthanasia by omission, allowed children as young as 11 to get abortions and morning after pills without parental consent, legalised the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos and the further manipulation of human embryos and financially supported China's horrendous one-child policy. They legalised same sex civil partnerships, made law the sexual orientation regulations meaning the end of the road for Catholic adoption agencies and pushed (thankfully unsuccessfully) for a law that would have forced Catholic schools to teach how to get an abortion.

Now for the continuing bad news. Contrary to many well-thought but mislead Catholics, today's Conservatives are by no means guaranteed to be any more "pro-life" than the majority of Labour were(n't). Their support from the Lib Dems on forming a government makes that even less likely. As I write, several anti-life politicians seem to have gained key departments. For a start, new PM David Cameron supports the law that allows abortion up to birth for disabled children. The surprise deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, believes that faith schools must teach that homosexuality is normal and harmless. He has also voted for the 24 week limit to be maintained.

Perhaps the most significant posts in these areas, Health Secretary, appears to have been secured by Andrew Lansley. He has a weak "life" voting record and promoted early abortion in 2008. He even supports relaxing the laws on abortion. Despite this issue usually being a matter of a free vote on any change in the law, it's certainly a disaster for the country to have yet another pro-abortion MP as health secretary, unless, of course, he's had a radical u-turn on his thoughts.

One of the things we can hope for is that the current economic situation will take full precedence and that matters such as sex education can be put on the back-burner for now. I think however, that this issue in particular will come into the limelight at some point and, with the Liberal Democrats taking hold of key cabinet posts, the fear is that the pressure will be more intense to legislate in this area. I just hope that this, and other "life" areas, hasn't been mentioned in some deal between the Tories and Lib Dems. I'm afraid to say that it's also very unlikely that the hideous things mentioned above that have been ushered in by Labour will be reversed. Time will tell on how things pan out.

David Cameron has pledged to "aid the vulnerable". Let us pray that this statement extends to unborn children and embryos.