Pope St John Paul II once remarked that in our celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ we bear witness that every human is “somebody unique and unrepeatable…somebody thought of and chosen from eternity”.

For most of us, Christmas is a time to give thanks for life - we cherish our loved ones and look out for those in need, particularly the sick and vulnerable. 

But not everyone is promoting that message of hope this Christmas. The assisted suicide lobby are using the run up to Christmas to promote their campaign, in the hope of changing the law in 2024. We’ve seen celebrity interviews, newspaper features, and even the Leader of the Opposition backing calls to introduce assisted suicide. Gloomy headlines about Esther Rantzen’s wish to go to Dignitas in Switzerland have punctuated the usual Christmas cheer. What exactly is going on?