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New ‘assisted dying’ debate not necessary

Press Release, Friday 19 July 2024

In the House of Lords Ballot for Private Members’ Bills today, an assisted suicide Bill from Lord Falconer was drawn second in the ballot.

A Second Reading of this legislation is likely to take place in September. Commenting on the news, a spokesman for Better Way said:

“Assisted dying’ has been considered exhaustively in recent years and roundly rejected. In 2015, MPs rejected a law change by a huge margin of 330 votes to 118. That same year, MSPs saw off a Holyrood Assisted Suicide Bill by a similarly wide margin of 82 votes to 36. Both decisions followed long, thoughtful, and wide-ranging debates. Given these clear outcomes, the issue should have been resolved. The case for change has not been made in the intervening years.

“Strong evidence for the practice’s dangers hasn’t disappeared. If anything, it has actually grown given Kafkaesque outcomes in countries that allow it. A law change would give rise to profound injustices. Injustices that affect disabled people, people facing poverty, people struggling with loneliness, and many others. No amount of legal drafting could rule out people electing to end their lives because they lack sufficient support to go on living.

“Palliative care doctors warn that ‘assisted dying’ would undermine care for dying people. Psychiatrists warn of a harmful shift in our response to suicide. And sociologists caution that a change in the law may open the door to more permissive legislation. The tragic experience of other nations suggests it is a matter of when, not if, laws expand. We urge politicians to reflect on clear evidence, and serious concerns about marginalised groups, and reject Falconer’s bill.”

ENDS

About Better Way

Better Way opposes assisted suicide, sets out an alternative vision, and provides a platform for marginalised voices. The campaign is supported by experts in several fields including medicine, disability advocacy, and sociology. Find out more: Website | Social media 

Read our report: Still Not Safe

Contact us: admin@betterwaycampaign.co.uk

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