British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said debate around the introduction of assisted suicide should be put on hold until palliative and social care programs in the country are properly funded. Source: Crux.
“I take the view that that debate – and I don’t say that there shouldn’t be a debate at some point about those issues – personally, I think there’s something that needs to happen first,” Mr Burnham told reporters on Wednesday.
“That is the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care,” said the Prime Minister, who was speaking with reporters after a speech at a London care home.
During his remarks, Mr Burnham vowed to repair his country’s social care system – the day-to-day assistance network for the elderly and persons with disabilities, chronic illness, and other vulnerabilities – saying politicians’ failure to address systemic problems is a “major dereliction of public duty.”
“I think it is very challenging to introduce that wider debate in a context of people not receiving that care and having the peace of mind about that care in a context where palliative and social care remains poorly funded.”
“That’s the position I will stick to,” he said.
Labour MP Lauren Edwards reintroduced an assisted suicide bill to the British Parliament, which will have its second reading on September 11.
The bill has nearly the exact same wording as Labour MP Kim Leadbeater’s bill, which recently fell after narrowly passing the House of Commons before running out of time in the House of Lords.
Mr Burnham’s position is a departure from his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer, who supported Ms Leadbeater’s bill.
Archbishop John Sherrington of Liverpool welcomed the news.
“It is highly significant that the Prime Minister has confirmed his position about the need for proper palliative and social care ahead of the Second Reading,” said Archbishop Sherrington, who heads the pro-life advocacy efforts of the Catholic bishops in England and Wales.
Archbishop Sherrington stressed the Church’s long-standing opposition to assisted suicide and support for palliative and end of life care “as an appropriate focus to uphold the dignity of all at the end of life”.
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UK Prime Minister deals major setback to assisted suicide push (Crux)
