The BBC reporter here asks Dawn Primarolo, a Labour MP and health minister why animal-human hybrids are wrong. (Watch the video link.) She does not answer that, but rather moves fluidly into a discussion of embryonic research, saying

This is a decision about where life begins

Well, yes, it is. And now it’s 14 days. Why? Because she said so.

She goes on to talk about how the embryo is a collection of cells under 14 days. And how we can only get certain possible treatments from this collection of cells. And how those “cells” would only be used in very extreme cases where there were no other avenues of research.

This, plus lowering the abortion limit in the UK from 24 to 20 weeks will be up for a free vote in the UK tomorrow.

I guess I find the juxtaposition of discussing abortion and embryonic stem cell research fascinating. In order to fight for late limits on abortion she uses the “woman’s right to choose” argument; in order to justify the creation of people for the sole purpose of experimentation, she uses the treatment argument–“it could save your life.”

Whose life? Certainly not the saviour sibling’s, that’s for sure. Should be an interesting vote.