Alfie Evans latest: British MEP calls on NHS to let Alfie go to Rome
Speaking to Sky News, the Independent British MEP condemned the UK High Court's decision to stop providing Alfie’s crucial life support against his parents' wishes. Mr Woolfe said the decision was dictated by an "institutional arrogance" and belief that the UK medical and legal elites could never make a mistake. He said: “I think it’s not just the legal system, it’s also the medical system and the Trust themselves. “What I find in my time looking at this case and previous to that the Ashya King and also Charlie Gard, is that we have an institutional arrogance. “A belief that they can never do anything wrong.
SKY•GETTY Alfie Evans latest: Steven Woolf trashes court's decision to switch life support
“And as a consequence of that, they are willing to make the decision to end life, notwithstanding the fact that there are alternative options out there. “Take the case of Ashya King, they said very clearly, the Trust, that the child would die and there was no way and they had to end life. “It took the father taking the child out of the country and now what do we know about Aisha King? Perfectly alive. “And in this case of Alfie Evans, Alfie Evans has now been briefing for 19 hours when the Hospital Trust told Justice Hayden in February that once you extubate he would be dead within minutes or at least a very short period of time.”
We have an institutional arrogance, a belief that they can never do anything wrong Steven Woolfe
Mr Woolfe's comments come as the 23-month-old boy awaits the ruling of an emergency court hearing at the Family Divisions of the High Court in Manchester. The emergency hearing comes amid a huge campaign to get more treatment for the brave 23-month-old, who was diagnosed with an incurable neurological condition in 2016. The High Court hearing started at 3.30pm today and is presided by Mr Justice Hayden. Alfie Evans was granted Italian Citizenship on Monday as his parents continue to fight to be able to take him to Rome for further treatment. Tom Evans and Kate James have been embroiled in a series of bitter legal disputes over their son’s wellbeing since the ruling.
Alfie Evans in pictures: Heartbreaking photos of Alfie in hospital Tue, April 24, 2018 Alfie has a degenerative neurological condition which has not been definitively diagnosed after being born in a "semi-vegetative" state. Play slideshow Facebook 1 of 12 Alfie Evans pictured in hospital with his mother