It appears the Government may have learnt a lesson from the Crewe and Nantwich by election – that being, best not push through and whip stuff the general public, a) don’t agree with, or b) know is wrong, or c) could imprison innocent people.

Glasgow East has a large Catholic population, which would be appalled at some of the amendments which have been laid down to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill and would be voted through with Government assistance.

For example, one amendment which would have had almost full Government support, would have permitted home abortions.

This would have resulted in girls as young as 13 being left to take a pill whilst probably in their bedroom, alone. Many wouldn’t have told their parents. They would experience pain like they didn’t know was possible, bleed like they could never have imagined and then be expected to flush their baby down the toilet.

Would the residents of Glasgow East be appalled at this? You bet, as would be the rest of the country.

With the kind of coverage and scrutiny the Bill on Monday would create, the Government are now back pedalling like crazy – what was a plan to schedule the really un-popular gory legislation until the very end of Parliament - just before the House rises for recess - has now backfired and is once again slap bang in the middle of the public eye - or it was until it was pulled today.

A serious indication of how scared they are of losing Glasgow East and the public backlash the Bill would incur.

Too late . Everyone knows where the Government stands on this legislation and they don’t like it. Too late.