Faith Leaders Oppose Assisted Suicide Bill

The Bishop of London Sarah Mullally during a Church of England press conference at Lambeth Palace Library, in south London, England, on Jan. 20, 2023. PA Wire

Leaders from multiple faiths from across the UK have signed a letter opposing the state-assisted suicide bill due to be debated in the House of Commons on Friday.

Senior clerics, including Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus wrote in the letter published in The Observer on Sunday that they were concerned that vulnerable people with terminal illnesses could feel coerced into ending their lives.

They also said that even when the sick are surrounded by loving family and friends, people towards the end of their lives can still feel like they are a burden and in the content of an inadequate social care and palliative care system, “it is easy to see how a ‘right to die’ could all too easily end in a feeling you have a duty to die.”

Many of these concerns have been raised by secular anti-assisted suicide and euthanasia campaigners, who fear for how a change in the law will impact the vulnerable and disabled.

The faith leaders called for state-assisted suicide to be rejected and for there to be better support for palliative care services. They made their appeal ahead of the vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on Nov. 29.

The letter was signed by 29 clerics, including Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster; Dame Sarah Mullally, the Church of England’s Bishop of London and former Chief Nursing Officer; Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis; and Qari Asim, Imam and Chair of the Mosques and Imams Advisory Board, among others from other Christian denominations and other faith leaders for communities in the UK.

Abuse and Coercion

The senior clerics argued that in their role as faith leaders in their communities, they provide spiritual and pastoral care for the sick and dying, often in their final days of life.

“Our pastoral roles make us deeply concerned about the impact the bill would have on the most vulnerable, opening up the possibility of life-threatening abuse and coercion. This is a concern we know is shared by many people, with and without faith,” they wrote.

The religious leaders also pointed to other jurisdictions in the world—namely Oregon in the United States, and Canada—where “promised safeguards have not always protected the vulnerable and marginalised.”

They defended the current state of the law as the best way to protect the vulnerable, noting that there have only been three weeks to allow for the bill to be scrutinised.

The clerics wrote: “We do not deny that some people experience a painful death, though we welcome the fact that these deaths are far less common than they used to be due to advances in palliative care.

“Over decades, we have witnessed how compassionate care, along with the natural processes of dying, allow those at the end of their life to experience important moments. We have seen relationships repair and families reconcile. We have seen lives end in love. Much can be lost by cutting these processes short.”

‘Serious Safeguarding Risks’

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who put forward the bill, has said the law would have “layers and layers of safeguards and protections“ which she believes ”will probably make it the most robust piece of legislation in the world.” She said it would also make coercing someone into agreeing to state-assisted suicide a criminal offence.

However, human rights group Liberty—which supports assisted suicide in principle—said that the bill presents “serious safeguarding risks which are hard to look past.”

Akiko Hart, Liberty’s director, had said, “Ultimately, the safeguards in this Bill are just not robust enough, and leave too many details to be decided later, particularly at a time when there is already great inequality in our healthcare system.”

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis speaking during a special ceremony to mark the 85th anniversary of the Kindertransport, at Liverpool Street Station in London, England, on Dec. 3, 2023. Victoria Jones/PA Wire

She added that “the impact of these decisions often falls sharpest on disabled people and communities of colour, who are already less likely to receive good quality of care.”

‘Dystopian Nightmare’

Mother and Father of the House Diane Abbott and Sir Edward Leigh have also objected to the bill, calling on colleagues to vote against it.

Despite the measures that Leadbeater said would make the law “robust,” the senior Labour and Conservative MPs wrote in The Guardian last week that “the only adequate safeguard is to keep the current law unchanged.”

Christian groups have been vocal in opposing the measures, including Christian Concern.

Christian Concern Chief Executive Andrea Williams has urged MPs to vote against the measures.

Williams said on Monday: “Be in no doubt, this bill is euthanasia by the backdoor and it is riddled with dangers and multiple safeguarding risks. A caring and compassionate society does not assist people to commit suicide. The proposals, however, read like something beyond a dystopian nightmare.”