There were many who talked of Martin Luther King as a religious demagogue. Gandhi was a fanatical half-naked Hindu fakir.

Where emotions are high it has to be recognised that things are liable to get out of hand. The temptation to use this to undermine the underlying cause should be resisted.

I'm sure the hospital authorities and the legal authorities believe sincerely that their opinions are correct, and that they are better judges of Alfie's interests than his parents. The same goes for his parents, the other way. I don't see it as possible to decide which is right. My view is that in principle that means the choice should lie with the parents as the natural guardians of their child.