It may well be as Councillor Chris Whitehouse says it is (Letters, 20 June), that practical arguments, rather than those based on “the sanctity of human life and associated ethical principles”, will carry most weight with politicians. But neither he nor any other pro-life supporter should underestimate the hold that the ethical principles involved have on the electorate. The public worry more about human dignity and rights – of which they are very convinced one way or another, morally regarding their own – than over disputed implications and longer term consequences of their supporting legislation, which they are not in such a good position to keep track of. They, like the politicians, will implicitly believe that practical drawbacks to any legislation are always c