May ‘feels for Alfie’s family’ but backs doctors in case
PRIME MINISTER Theresa May has said her condolences are with the family of Alfie Evans – but believes medical experts should make decisions in cases such as his. Speaking on a visit to a primary school in Greater Manchester, Mrs May was asked if she would support an Alfie’s Law, proposed by North West MEP Steven Woolfe, which would give parents of terminally-ill children more say in end-of-life hospital care. The 23-month-old died on Saturday after life support treatment was withdrawn following a longrunning legal battle. Mrs May said: “This is a tragic case. I think all of us feel enormously for the parents of Alfie. “This is a great tragedy to have to go through, the death of a child, and particularly to see it happen in this way. “It’s important that decisions about medical support given to children and to others are made by clinicians, by those who are expert in that matter, but I think at the moment we all feel for Alfie’s family and our condolences are with them.” Alfie’s parents, Tom Evans and Kate James, opposed withdrawing life support from the youngster, who had a degenerative brain disease, and wanted to take him abroad for treatment. A six-month battle with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool saw medical staff allegedly targeted for threats and abuse, a mob try to storm the hospital doors and a series of appeals through the courts culminating in a European Court of Human Rights hearing. Mr Woolfe launched his campaign for an Alfie’s Law on Thursday.