MPs have voted to back a bill legalising assisted dying in England and Wales by 314:291 votes, a majority of 23. This was lower than the 55 vote majority at the first vote in November, with many MPs switching sides to vote against, but not enough to stop the bill. The five hour Commons debate was emotionally charged and there were tears when the vote was announced.
Religious groups
Reaction from Catholic Church: @catholicEW The Bishops of England and Wales have been consistent and outspoken in their opposition to the legalisation of assisted suicide, and we are shocked and disappointed that MPs have voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols warned Catholic hospices and homes may close >>
Church of England bishops have consistently opposed assisted dying legislation. The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullaly, lead bishop for health and social care, said (20 June 6pm): “This Private Member’s Bill has received a Third Reading in the face of mounting evidence that it is unworkable and unsafe and poses a risk to the most vulnerable people in our society….Every person is of immeasurable and irreducible value, and should be able to access the care and support that they need – a principle that I know is shared by those all faiths and none. We must oppose a law that puts the vulnerable at risk and instead work to improve funding and access to desperately needed palliative care services.”
Muslim Council of Britain: The Assisted Dying Bill risks pressuring vulnerable people to end their lives and diverting resources from palliative care. The Muslim Council of Britain urges the House of Lords to reflect on the serious risks. >>
The Sikh Council of Britain issued a statement saying: “The Sikh Council UK expresses serious concern regarding the recent vote in Parliament to support legislation that woiuld legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. While we recognise the complexity of end of life care and the importance of compassionate medical support, we believe this bill raises urgent moral, spiritual and social risks, particularly for vulnerable commuities including the elderly, disabled and people of colour… The Sikh community believes in seva (selfless service) and we are called to support the sick, elderly and dying with compassion, not convenience.”
The Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool, John Sherrington, lead bishop for life issues in England and Wales, told the Sunday programme on BBC Radio 4: “I’m opposed because in pricniple I believe it’s wrong to help comseone to end their lfie and I’m sopposed to the practice of this law, as it fundamentally changes the nature of healthcare. It’s a watershed for our society. And there are concerns made about those who may be coerced, those with disabilites, and the freedom of institutions that want to offer a zone free from assisted suicide”.
Rabbi Jonathan Romain, chair of the Religious Alliance for Dignity in Dying, told the Sunday progrmame on BBC Radio 4: “Life is sacred but it doesn’t mean it has to be lived out in agony in the last few weeks. Those people who are opposed have to ask themselves why so many people voted in fvaovur only because they had first hand experience of people haveing a terrible death”.
Second Church Estates Commissioner Marsha de Cordova @marshadecordova.bsky.social: I am deeply disappointed that the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has passed its third reading. We must assist people to live not to die.
OPPOSITION
@giles_fraser The state can now kill you. And there are people celebrating this. The whole social fabric has been torn.
LibDem MP and committed Christian @timfarron On the train north after a good debate. The growth of expert opposition to the AD bill along with the slashing of its majority since second reading, makes me wonder if the Lords may feel that it’s legitimate to oppose it now? The bill remains a grave threat to vulnerable people.
Opponent Danny Kruger MP said the Lords should consider the loopholes and gaps in the bill. They have an obligation to introduce new safeguards or reject it outright. He told the BBC that it would be constitutionally legitimate for the Lords to reject the bill entirely as it wasn’t in the manifesto of any of the parties, was a private members bill and the Lords could say it was unworkable and push it back. He said, if enacted, there would be pressure to widen the bill it from day one >>
@ddhitchens “Senior peers have told Sky News they believe the bill will struggle to get through the Lords, because there’s strong support for leading opponent Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, the Paralympic champion.”
@DisRightsUK “We are devastated to hear of the passing of the Assisted Dying Bill by 23 votes today. We extend our solidarity to all the Disabled people, DPOs, campaigners and MPs who have worked together to oppose this bill.”
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who is against the assisted dying bill, told the BBC that she wanted to put forward amendments to the bill in the House of Lords to make it “as tight as possible” so that “there’s not the ability to coerce [people into choosing assisted dying] or for people to slip through the net”. She had heard from disabled people [who] are absolutely terrified.
@RevRichardColes Another issue with #AssistedDying: even if life is unendurable, death cannot be part of a care plan. It is something quite different and therefore should not be mandated by the state nor administered by medics as if it were.
SUPPORT
Humanists rejoiced: @andrewcopson We did it! A historic step towards meeting the aspirations of the public, who overwhelmingly support having choice, dignity, and compassion at the end of their lives. Now to the House of Lords!
Kim Leadbeater, MP who introduced the bill into the Commons, said she was over the moon: “I know what this means for terminally ill people and their loved ones.”
Dignity in Dying: This is a landmark moment for choice, compassion and dignity at the end of life >>
OTHER COMMENT
Hospice UK said: “Today’s decision by MPs represents a seismic change for end of life care in England and Wales and could have a huge impact on hospices. Read our full response >>
