UK government intervenes in Ashya King case as CPS reassesses extradition
Cameron and Clegg join calls to have boy reunited with parents as government contacts police and health officials over case
Patrick Wintour, Peter Walker and Matthew Weaver
theguardian.com, Tuesday 2 September 2014 14.22 BST
Prosecution authorities are reviewing their move to extradite the parents of Ashya King, the five-year-old cancer patient in hospital in Spain after he was taken from hospital in Southampton. Meanwhile, the government has contacted police and health officials to see whether Ashya can be reunited with his mother and father.
The new interventions follow mounting calls for Brett and Naghmeh King, held in separate prisons near Madrid, to be brought to Málaga, where Ashya is being cared for at a children's hospital. The couple had taken the boy from Southampton general hospital without doctors' consent and say they want alternative treatment abroad for his brain tumour.
David Cameron's spokesman said the Home Office had been in touch with Hampshire police force over the case, while the Department of Health contacted Southampton hospital. The hospital first raised the alarm on Thursday after Ashya was taken away.
Downing Street stressed the need for judicial authorities to be able to operate independently of politicians, but it is clear that Cameron shares the concerns expressed by Nick Clegg that the handling of the case has been heavy-handed.
Earlier on Tuesday the deputy prime minister questioned why the "full force of the law" was being used against the parents and called for the family to be reunited.
more:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/02/ashya-king-clegg-criticises-full-force-law