As the UK Parliament approaches the momentous vote on assisted suicide tomorrow, it is worth taking stock of the arguments. Because the arguments in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill fall down on the grounds of principle, practice and the inadequacies of the Bill – and you do not have to be Catholic to accept the arguments against the legislation under consideration on 29 November.

Catholics – and others - believe in "compassion" at the end of life, a word which the proponents of assisted suicide have tried to adopt in this debate. Compassion means to “suffer with” another person. It means accompanying people, especially during sickness, disability and old age, when we know that people are frail and vulnerable.