The bishops of England and Wales have made a final appeal for MPs to reject the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill ahead of its second reading and vote on September 11. Archbishop Richard Moth of Westminster said the Bill, if passed, “could lead to vulnerable people feeling pressured into ending their lives”.
The proposed law, introduced by MP for Rochester and Strood Lauren Edwards, would legalise assisted suicide for people aged 18 and over who are expected to die within six months.
Calling the Bill “wrong in principle” and “deeply flawed”, Archbishop Moth said it undermined freedom of conscience for medical professionals and care workers. “Many professional bodies argued against this Bill, including the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of Physicians. Disability rights groups remain highly concerned and consider it to be dangerous,” he said.
