Bush will use first veto to stop stem cell legislation

US President George W Bush was last night set to use his first veto to stop legislation to expand embryonic stem cell research championed by top scientists and desired by most Americans.

“The president has had a clear principled stand on this issue since August of 2001 and he has made clear from the beginning that if this bill came to him he would veto it and so this is what he's going to do today,” White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

The US Senate approved the legislation, which has also been passed by the House of Representatives, on Tuesday. But neither chamber expects to have the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto. It would be Mr Bush's first veto since taking office more than five years ago.