British bishops call for ‘compassion’ ahead of vote in Parliament on assisted suicide

LEICESTER, United Kingdom – As the United Kingdom debates legalizing assisted suicide, the bishops of England, Wales, and Scotland said “genuine compassion” is witnessed through the care and respect shown to people with terminal illness “as they complete their journey in this life.”

Labour Member of Parliament Kim Leadbeater introduced the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, external, which would make assisted suicide legal in England and Wales. The first vote on the proposed legislation will take place on Nov. 29.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur has drafted the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill in Scotland.

Both politicians claim their proposed laws would have severe restrictions limiting assisted suicide to those expected to die of illness within six months, and safeguards in place to protect patients.

Euthanasia and assisted suicide are currently illegal under English, Welsh, and Northern Irish law and is considered manslaughter or murder. In Scotland, there is no specific legislation on the particular issue, but people can be prosecuted for murder if they are involved.

The bishops conferences of Britain said the Church teaches “genuine compassion is under threat” because of the attempts to legalize assisted suicide.

“‘Compassion’ means to enter into and share the suffering of another person. It means never giving up on anyone or abandoning them. It means loving them to the natural end of their life, even if and when they struggle to find meaning and purpose,” the bishops’ statement says.

“Compassion means accompanying people, especially during sickness, disability, and old age. This kind of genuine compassion is witnessed through the care and respect we show to people with terminal illness as they complete their journey in this life,” they continue.

The Catholic leader said the work against assisted suicide should be accompanied by people of all Christian faiths, as well as other religions, in order to defend “the weakest and most vulnerable who are at risk through this proposed legislation.”

“Life is a gift to be protected, especially when threatened by sickness and death,” the bishops say.

They point out the Church supports palliative care, the medical approach aimed at optimizing quality of life and mitigating suffering among people with serious, complex, and often terminal illnesses.

“Palliative care, with expert pain relief, and good human, spiritual, and pastoral support, is the right and best way to care for people towards the end of life. More adequate funding and resources for hospices and palliative care teams authentically serve and honor our shared human dignity,” the statement says.

The statement admits that in the discussion around assisted suicide, much is made of freedom of choice and autonomy; but claim “autonomy is not absolute and must always be placed within the context of the common good of society as a whole.”

“People who are suffering need to know they are loved and valued. They need compassionate care, not assistance to end their lives,” the bishops write.

“Assisted suicide raises serious issues of principle. The time given for Parliament to consider the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which will permit assisted suicide is woefully inadequate,” the statement continues. The Bill was only published on Monday.

The proposed law includes supposed safeguards, including saying assisted suicide can only be requested by people over 18 who have been registered with a local doctor for at least 12 months.

The person asking for assisted suicide must also be mentally capable to make the choice and be deemed to have expressed “a clear, settled and informed wish, free from coercion or pressure.”

The person must also be expected to die within six months and make two separate witnessed and signed declarations stating their wish to die.

In their statement, the bishops say the experience of other countries where assisted suicide has been introduced “shows that such promised safeguards are soon forgotten.”

“In Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada, and parts of the USA, the criteria for assisted suicide have been expanded significantly, in law or in practice, often to include people with mental illness and others who have no terminal diagnosis. It is not always easy to predict the length of time a person with a terminal illness has to live, making this Bill unworkable,” they write.

They also say they “are alarmed” by the impact that legalization will have on the most vulnerable members of our society.

“The option to end life can quickly, and subtly, be experienced as a duty to die. Some may well feel their continued existence is a burden to others, and, implicitly or explicitly, be pressured into assisted suicide. This includes people who are elderly, infirm, and living with disabilities. The protection of such people is the foundation of civilized society. It is at the heart of good government,” the bishops’ statement says.

They also express the proposed law will “fundamentally damage” the relationship between medical practitioners and their patients.

“It will potentially lead to pressure on medical staff to recommend or facilitate such procedures. Will the right to conscientious objection for individuals and institutions be guaranteed? The impact on hospices, care homes, and those who work in social and community care cannot be underestimated. It will radically alter the ethos of trust and support which underpins our service to those in need and their families,” the bishops say.

“We urge all people of good will to oppose this legislation and, instead, to advocate for better funded palliative care which is consistently available to everyone in need in England, Wales, and Scotland,” the statement says.

Although British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has supported legalizing assisted suicide, he is allowing a free vote on the issue, meaning parliamentarians do not have to follow a party vote.

Among those opposed to the proposed law is Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

“I would hate for people to opt for assisted dying because they think they’re saving someone somewhere money, whether that’s relatives or the NHS. And I think that’s one of the issues that MPs are wrestling with as they decide how to cast their vote”, he told The Times.

“That work is now under way, so I can’t give you a precise figure today. You do touch on… the potential for cost savings if people choose to opt for assisted dying rather than stay in the care of providers or the NHS. I think that is a chilling slippery slope argument,” Streeting said.

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