The assisted dying bill is expected to run out of time to pass the House of Lords before the May deadline, when all legislation that has not passed will automatically fail. Source: The Tablet.
There are six remaining sitting days before the King’s speech in May, and the Labour chief whip in the House of Lords, Roy Kennedy, said last week that the government will not give the assisted dying bill more time.
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a private members’ bill introduced by Kim Leadbeater MP, would legalise assisted suicide for those with up to six months left to live.
More than 1200 amendments to the bill have been tabled in the Lords, so it is not expected to pass before May.
If another MP reintroduces the bill after the King’s speech, it would then have to go through all the Commons stages again before it could go back to the Lords.
Liverpool Archbishop John Sherrington, the lead bishop for life issues for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, encouraged the faithful to pray throughout Lent for the parliamentarians debating the bill, as well as for those who are suffering near the end of their lives and those who care for them.
“We are facing the threat of a profound change in our culture which would happen if assisted suicide were to be legalised,” Archbishop Sherrington said.
“This bill is wrong in principle as assisted suicide is the direct taking of life. In practice, the bill is a threat to truly compassionate care at the end of life.
“In its current form, it would require Christian hospices and care homes to co-operate with the act of assisted suicide. The conscience clauses are also woefully inadequate.
“Moreover, as many voices have articulated in the debate, and as has been seen in other countries, assisted suicide will put the lives of the vulnerable at risk.”
The Catholic bishops of England and Wales will hold a Holy Hour on April 19 to pray for the promotion of a culture of life.
On February 24, the Senedd in Cardiff voted in favour of allowing assisted dying through the NHS in Wales if the bill goes through the House of Lords at Westminster.
Cardiff-Menevia Archbishop Mark O’Toole said this vote was “deeply disappointing”.
“The situation in other countries shows that the safeguards do not hold up. This is a very sad day for the most vulnerable in Wales.”
FULL STORY
Assisted dying bill on track to fall as archbishop urges prayer for parliamentarians (By Aili Winstanley Channer, The Tablet)
