politics & policy
Assisted suicide
James Mildred
On 11 September, 2015 I was in the office of CARE’s chief executive, Nola Leach.
Along with colleagues we were praying together as MPs debated the Rob Marris Assisted Dying Bill (No. 2). On that occasion, MPs overwhelmingly rejected the Bill, by 330 votes to 118. Many cited concerns about patient safety and pressure being put on the most vulnerable. That day was a great victory. But advocates of assisted suicide being legalised in the UK are not giving up. Having failed so far in Parliament, they have been attempting to advance their agenda through the courts, while all the time seeking to change MPs’ minds and shift public opinion.
politics & policy
Watch and pray
James Mildred
If you have any love for politics, recent months have served up treat after treat.
First, there’s the ongoing saga of the never-ending vote. The Prime Minister has a deal on the table, but is struggling to win the support she needs. By the time this is published, there may well have been a vote on the deal which may well have been lost, leading, maybe, to another vote. Honestly, who knows what is going on at Westminster? Second, we are increasingly in unchartered constitutional territory. All the talk of a second referendum, the People’s Vote and the Speaker’s re-interpreting of long-standing House of Commons’ precedents all point to the same conclusion: it’s all a bit messy.
Is assisted suicide really that bad?
Part of my role at Christians Action, Research and Education (CARE) involves travelling and speaking at different churches and conferences around the UK. I’m frequently asked to speak on issues around the end of human life.
This means covering both assisted suicide, but also palliative care and clearing up some misunderstandings about what happens when someone dies.