UK Bishops express disappointment over MP vote in favour of assisted dying

By Susy Hodges in London

Following the vote in parliament, Bishop John Sherrington, Lead Bishop for Life Issues, expressed dismay over the outcome saying we believe that the bill is flawed in principle and contains particular clauses that are of concern.

Bishop Sherrington said the Catholic bishops were especially concerned about a lack of protection for conscientious objection to assisted suicide.  He said clauses in the bill prevent doctors from properly exercising conscientious objection, provide inadequate protection to hospices and care homes that do not wish to participate in assisted suicide and allow doctors to initiate conversations about this issue.

It remains the case, he continued, that improving the quality and availability of palliative care offers the best pathway to reduce suffering at the end of life.  Bishop Sherrington said we ask the Catholic Community to pray that the bill will be rejected at a later stage in its progress through parliament.  

Friday’s historic vote followed more than four hours of emotional debate in parliament with lawmakers from both sides sharing personal stories which had shaped their decisions.

They were given a free vote, meaning they could make a decision based on their own conscience rather than having to follow a party line.

Opponents of the bill said terminally ill people, particularly the elderly, disabled or vulnerable, may feel pressurised to end their lives for fear of being a burden.

Many lawmakers expressed concern that there had not been enough time to consider the bill before voting and highlighted concerns that safeguards in other countries that have allowed assisted dying have been watered down.

Those in favour of the bill said it was about providing a choice to terminally ill people who are living in pain.

In the run-up to the vote, the Catholic Bishops and other faith leaders had repeatedly voiced their concern over the ethical and practical implications of the bill. Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales, had warned several times that the “right to die can easily become a duty to die.”