Delegates at the annual meeting of the doctors’ trade union in Belfast voted in favour of carrying out a poll on whether it should adopt a neutral position regarding a change in the law.
While the results of the survey – which would be open to the BMA’s 155,000 members – will not be binding, they could inform policy-making in the future.
Many Christians raised concerns when the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) did the same thing earlier this year, adopting a neutral stance unless 60 per cent of the electorate voted one way or the other.
In March they adopted a neutral position after 25 per cent voted for a neutral position, 32 per cent voted to support a change in the law and 43 per cent said they believe the RCP should remain opposed.
Speaking about whether the same super majority requirement would exist for the BMA vote, Alistair Thompson, a Christian from the group Care Not Killing, said: “We hope not, because that was a very, very controversial poll and has led to both a legal challenge to the validity of it and also has seen a number of very high profile resignations from senior positions within that organisation.
“It is actually right and proper that groups like the BMA, which have a very important public policy function – consult members on important issues but it needs to be done in a fair and unbiased way.
“So, that means putting forward a set of…
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