There are six remaining sitting days before the King’s speech in May, and the Labour chief whip in the House of Lords, Roy Kennedy, has said this week that the government will not give the assisted dying bill more time.
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a private members’ bill introduced by Kim Leadbeater MP, would legalise assisted suicide for those with up to six months left to live.
More than 1,200 amendments to the bill have been tabled in the Lords, which mean that it is not expected to pass before May.
If another MP reintroduces the bill after the King’s speech, it would then have to go through all the Commons stages again before it could go back to the Lords.
Archbishop of Liverpool John Sherrington, the lead bishop for life issues for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, encouraged the faithful to pray throughout Lent for the parliamentarians debating the bill, as well as for those who are suffering near the end of their lives and those who care for them.
Archbishop Sherrington said, “We are facing the threat of a profound change in our culture which would happen if assisted suicide were to be legalised.
“This bill is wrong in principle as assisted suicide is the direct taking of life. In practice, the bill is a threat to truly compassionate care at the end of life.
“In its current form, it would require Christian hospices and care homes to co-operate with the act of assisted suicide. The conscience clauses are also woefully inadequate.
“Moreover, as many voices have articulated in the debate, and as has been seen in other countries, assisted suicide will put the lives of the vulnerable at risk.”
In the Easter season, the Catholic bishops of England and Wales will hold a Holy Hour on Sunday 19 April to pray for the promotion of a culture of life.
On 24 February the Senedd in Cardiff voted in favour of allowing assisted dying through the NHS in Wales if the bill goes through the House of Lords at Westminster.
Archbishop of Cardiff-Menevia Mark O’Toole said this vote was “deeply disappointing”: “The situation in other countries shows that the safeguards do not hold up. This is a very sad day for the most vulnerable in Wales.”
Archbishop O’Toole had said before the vote, “As a nation, Wales has always valued compassion, care, and the protection of the vulnerable.
“The proposal before the Senedd, driven by legislation from Westminster, risks eroding those values by suggesting that some lives are less worth living. True compassion means accompanying people in their suffering, not ending their lives.”
Faith leaders from Wales also said in an interfaith statement, “As people of faith, we share a common heritage of caring for the vulnerable, the sick and dying. This is why we believe we must speak up for those who will be most affected by this legislation.
“If this bill is implemented in Wales, many will feel insecure about the future and conclude that they are a burden on loved ones and the health service. Cherishing life means building a society where nobody is seen as a burden.
“We must treasure and value the vulnerable, the sick and the dying among us. Across Wales we need to promote excellent palliative care, including support for the hospice movement. Wales has a long and proud tradition of compassion and of valuing the dignity of every human life.
“True compassion does not mean ending a life. It means accompanying those who suffer, easing their pain, supporting families, and ensuring that no one feels abandoned, a burden, or without worth.”