Christians are doubling down on efforts to stop assisted suicide becoming legal in England and Wales after Kim Leadbeater’s bill was debated in Westminster on Friday.
Despite a raft of amendments on the roster, time constraints meant that only two were voted on, resulting in further criticism from opponents that MPs should not being given enough time to properly scrutinise and debate the proposals.
Christians expressed particular sadness that an amendment that may have allowed hospices and care homes to opt out of assisted suicide was rejected.
Caroline Ansell, policy director at CARE and former Conservative MP for Eastbourne, said she was “deeply saddened” by that call.
“This could cause some vital services to shut their doors,” she said, adding that the talk had only compounded concerns across the laws. “Some parliamentarians didn’t get to talk to their amendments, and those that did faced a rushed debate during which they weren’t capable of elaborate on vital points. This isn’t how parliament should deliberate on any issue, let alone one among such gravity,” she said. She continued, “Committee scrutiny was ineffective. This bill continues to pose grave risks to victims of domestic violence, individuals with learning disabilities, the elderly, ethnic minorities, and others. We miss out on how its many dangers may very well be mitigated. “In our view, this laws is irredeemably flawed, and it must be opposed by parliamentarians at third reading – whatever their personal views on assisted suicide are. This Bill isn’t fit for purpose and mustn’t pass. It’s so simple as that.”
Her concerns are shared by Alithea Williams, public policy manager on the Society for the Protection Unborn Children (SPUC), who said Friday’s debate was marred by a “sense of chaos and confusion” and “frustration” amongst MPs that there was not enough time to talk on vital points within the draft laws.
One MP expressing his frustration was Tim Farron, a Lib Dem MP and committed Christian, who wrote on X, “For the mover of a bill to present such an enormous variety of amendments to their very own bill suggests a serious insecurity in its safety and rigour.
“In 20 years I’ve not seen anything so shambolic. Even supporters of the bill must surely see that the bill can’t pass like this.”
The Third Reading of the bill will happen on 13 June when it is feasible that a vote will probably be held after the talk.
“We now have nearly a month until the bill next comes before Parliament. We have to sustain the momentum, get more MPs to vary their votes, and defeat this bill,” said Williams.
The Evangelical Alliance’s director of advocacy, Danny Webster is asking Christians to hope ahead of the subsequent reading.
“Today’s debate and votes show the growing opposition to Kim Leadbeater’s assisted suicide bill, the various problems with it, and the unwillingness to adopt amendments to handle concerns,” he said.
“We will proceed to interact with MPs and encourage Christians to talk up and call their representatives ahead of the ultimate vote.
“We call on the church to hope that this bill will probably be defeated, the vulnerable protected and the dignity of life maintained.”
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