A government minister is urging the Supreme Court to refuse the family of Archie Battersebee, in their plea for more time with their son. 

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Rt. Hon Steve Barclay says that interim measures that allow the family more time to seek the verdict of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) should not be binding under international law. 

Archie's life support was due to be switched off on Monday 1st August. 

However, an emergency stay saw the procedure pushed back to Tuesday 2nd August.

The interim measures remain in place as the family pushes for their case to be seen by the United Nations. 

The 12-year-old has been in an induced coma since he was found unconscious in his Southend home in April. 

Government lawyers say that "the notion that interim measures are binding has not been accepted as a facet of customary international law. There is no such consensus. On the contrary, the status of the committees' decisions is a subject of some controversy."

On Saturday, 30th of July 2022 Hollie Dance - the mother of Archie Battersbee - wrote to Rt Hon Barclay, begging for his support. 

Responding to the news of the government intervention, Archie's mum, Hollie Dance said: "At first, we were relieved to hear that the government was going to intervene, but having seen what they have had to say, we feel so let down, even betrayed. 
 
"No authorities, other than the UN CRPD have shown any compassion or understanding to us as a family. 
 
"We want to say clearly, despite reports that Archie is 'brain-stem dead', that no medical professional has ever been able to prove that this is so. 
 
"We as a family will keep fighting and want to say thank you for all the prayers and support we have received."