Liverpool Archbishop John Sherrington has expressed his deep disappointment that a euthanasia bill will be reintroduced into the United Kingdom’s House of Commons. Source: The Tablet.
By bringing back the exact same legislation – the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which is expected to be debated in the Commons in September – Lauren Edwards MP is threatening to use rarely used powers to override the Lords’ objections if they refuse to pass it again.
Bills normally only become law if both Houses of Parliament agree on its final wording, but the powers under the UK’s Parliament Act mean that if MPs pass an identical bill in two consecutive parliamentary sessions, the Lords cannot block it the second time.
“The recent debate about this bill showed how many people found the proposed legislation, even if they accepted it in principle, to be flawed and full of unresolved matters,” Archbishop Sherrington, lead bishop for life issues for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said.
He said the majority in favour of the bill in the Commons reduced between readings as the issues became apparent, and that the Lords identified many shortcomings and bad legislation.
In addition, many professional bodies argued against this bill, including the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of Physicians, and disability rights groups, those fighting against eating disorders, and against domestic abuse, were highly concerned.
Archbishop Sherrington also said the bill undermines freedom of conscience for medical professionals and care workers, and threatens the future existence and wellbeing of care homes and hospices by forcing them to participate in assisted suicide.
“Recent debates have exposed the uneven provision of palliative care across the country,” he said. “Surely what is now needed to help the terminally ill is an improvement in compassionate, high-quality palliative care, and proper hospice funding.”
Archbishop Sherrington urged parliament to debate priorities in healthcare funding, especially for those living with terminal illness.
“Reintroducing this legislation, once again, places the most vulnerable at risk,” he concluded. “I ask MPs to reject this bill, and call on all people of goodwill to join me in work and prayer to prevent this flawed bill from succeeding.”
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Archbishops ‘deeply disappointed’ by reintroduction of assisted dying bill (By Aili Winstanley Channer, The Tablet)
