Date: Friday 29th November 2024
Release time: Immediate
Care Not Killing disappointed at second reading vote, but welcomes the growing number of MPs expressing concern about legalising assisted suicide
Following today's vote in Parliament, which narrowly saw MPs vote to allow the assisted suicide bill to progress, Dr Gordon Macdonald, Chief Executive of Care Not Killing commented:
"We are naturally disappointed at the vote, but have been hugely encouraged that the more MPs hear about assisted suicide and euthanasia the more they turn against changing the law and rightly want the Government to focus on fixing the UK's broken palliative care system.
"Indeed, as we heard from numerous MPs today fixing the palliative and social care systems should be the priority, rather than pressing ahead with a dangerous and ideological that will make many elderly, terminally ill and disabled people feel like a burden and end their lives prematurely, exactly as we see in the US state of Oregon, the model for this draft Bill. Other MPs expressed concern that the legislation was rushed and badly drafted, highlighting that in Oregon a law introduced for terminally ill adults has expanded to include people with diabetes, arthritis and eating disorders such as anorexia. Others highlighted the problems with the so-called safeguards, which evidence from around the world shows over time are eroded and swept away, just as we see in Canada, which introduced a tightly defined law in 2016. By 2019, the law had been expanded from terminally ill adult to anyone suffering, and this year legislators approved euthanasia for those with mental health problems. While some warned that those from ethnic minorities, poorer back grounds or with a disability were much more likely to have their lives ended if this law was passed.
Dr Macdonald concluded:
"Our current laws protect vulnerable people and do not need changing, instead we need to focus our attention on how to ensure we provide the very best palliative care to those who need it."
ENDS
Editors Notes
Care Not Killing is a UK-based alliance bringing together over 40 organisations - human rights and disability rights organisations, health care and palliative care groups, faith-based organisations groups - and thousands of concerned individuals.
We have three key aims:
- to promote more and better palliative care;
- to ensure that existing laws against euthanasia and assisted suicide are not weakened or repealed;
- to inform public opinion further against any weakening of the law.
*As this story is dealing with suicide, please could we ask that you include details about organisations that offer help and support to vulnerable people who might be feeling suicidal such as the Samaritans, CALM or similar - Thank you.*
