Paul KeenanAppeal ahead of House of Lords Bill
Faith leaders in Britain have joined in calling for opposition to the Assisted Dying Bill which comes before the House of Lords for its second reading on July 18.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster was co-signatory of a letter which saw representatives of a range of faith traditions, including Church of England, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Zoroastrian communicate to members of the House of Lords their concerns regarding the proposed law.
“Every human life is of intrinsic value and ought to be affirmed and cherished,” they stated. “This is central to our laws and our social relationships; to undermine this in any way would be a grave error.”
Warning of potential future abuses of any law around assisted dying, the leaders went on: “A key consideration is whether the Assisted Dying Bill will place more vulnerable people at risk than it seeks to help. We have seen, in recent years that even rigorous regulation and careful monitoring have not prevented the most serious lapses of trust and care in some parts of the NHS and within a number of Care Homes.
“We are agreed that the Assisted Dying Bill invites the prospect of an erosion of carefully tuned values and practices that are essential for the future development of a society that respects and cares for all.”
Though Prime Minister David Cameron has voiced concern on any move towards euthanasia in Britain, warning that "people might be being pushed into things that they don't actually want for themselves", he has signalled his openness to a debate in Parliament on the issue of assisted dying.
Meanwhile, ahead of the House of Lords reading, 27 physicians who deal directly with the terminally ill wrote to the Lords to urge backing for the Assisted Dying Bill.