Thread by @PeterOuld

I'm torn on the #AlfieEvans case. On the one hand, it's clear that he managed remarkably better than all the doctors expected when he was taken off ventilation (nine hours breathing by himself). The consensus was the deprivation of support would lead to rapid deterioration. 1/n

On the other hand, when you read the medical evidence from the court case (from both "sides") it's clear that their is no cognitive brain function in Alfie and little chance it will return. Any "responses" from him are not even reflex. 2/n

It's clear the only path forward is palliative - even the Italian and German hospitals offering care accept this. The question is really where will #AlfieEvans die and how soon? It's a sobering thought. 3/n

What the case does raise is two crucial issues. First, at what point do the rights of the parents to chose care for their child lose out to the rights of the state to decide what is in the best interest of one of its citizens (I chose that word carefully)? 4/n

Alfie's parents want him to continue living for as long as possible, hence the request to take him to Italy (and beyond) to make that happen. The counter-argument, that such a journey might cause Alfie pain, is being used to block the request. 5/n

(Of course, the irony of saying that Alfie is not in any way conscious, but might still feel pain if transported, yet can be taken off ventilation and allowed to die, is not lost on me) 6/n

At what point can the State (in the guise of the NHS doctors and lawyers) argue that one pain is better than another? That's for the court to decide and rightly so. The judge in this case has come under a lot of criticism, but he's only doing his job. 7/n

It seems to me that for all their efforts, the CLC lawyers have repeatedly taken the wrong tack in this case. They took up the case when the Evans' were at a desperate last point. Since then they have been "highly emotional" in court which hasn't helped. 8/n

"The law is reason free from passion" as Aristotle (and Elle Woods) teaches us. Unfortunately the CLC / CC are far from dispassionate, both in their presenting of cases in court and their reporting of them outside. This can't have helped. 9/n

For example, take the "he's now an Italian citizen" argument. Paul Diamond had already argued in court that Alfie should go to Italy before he was an Italian citizen. The judge said no. That wasn't going to change magically because of a new passport. 10/n

If the "Italian solution" was to work the chain should have been:

Italian Amabassador
talks to
Foreign Secretary
talks to
Health Secretary
talks to
Alder Hey CEO
talks to
Alder Hay lawyers
talks to
Judge
withdrawing their submission

(i.e. a diplomatic / political solution)
11/n

If this failed (or if it wasn't tried - I quite understand the Italian Government not wanting to push this) then frankly the game was up. Why waste time and money arguing the same thing in court again and again?
12/n

Where now? It would be wonderful if Alfie could die at home, but the actions of the "rent-a-mob" outside the hospital (not all those at the vigil, but clearly a significant portion) and the CLC lawyers in and out of the court have damaged the relationships with Alder Hey
13/n

Perhaps it's time for the lawyers to go home, the vigil to disperse, nothing to be said for 48 hours and then a plan made, just the parents, the hospital and perhaps a children's hospice, to move Alfie home (or to a hospice) to live out his last few days.
14/n

As the father of a still-born son I know how hard it is to realise your dreams of a life with your child are evaporated. But I also know that at the deepest point of pain, when we hand that pain over to God and ask him to own it and use it, somehow miracles happen.
15/n

What Alfie's parents need now is space to "befriend" the fact that their son is leaving them and leaving them soon. It's time to let go, to lay the body in the tomb, to weep the tears of grief. Let's give them space to do that and pray for healing for all involved.
16/n

God is a God of resurrection and displays his power most visibly in transforming death into life. The new life is his choice and we don't get to dictate its form. It is the hardest path to take to walk into the valley of death, but in it we fear no evil because he is there.
17/n

So everyone - walk away from the battle lines, pray (for Alfie, for his parents, for the doctors and nurses, for the judge, for everyone at Alder Hey) and watch. In time we can reflect on lessons learned.
18/n

And now, I need to get back to work. Apologies for not responding to everyone who has replied or commented.
19/19