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Pro-life groups have expressed approval for remarks made by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, criticizing a proposed bill on doctor-assisted suicide. The bill is being pushed through Parliament by government-aligned members.
Alistair Thompson, spokesperson for Care Not Killing, highlighted concerns about the speed at which the bill is moving through Parliament. "Besides its wider implications, the cardinal highlights the way this bill is being piloted through Parliament with indecent haste," he said. He urged parliamentarians to ensure thorough scrutiny of the legislation.
Cardinal Nichols voiced his concerns on February 4 during an address to the Christian Fellowship, a group of media workers. He criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government for what he described as "deeply irresponsible" handling of such significant legislative change without proper parliamentary process.
The cardinal compared the debate time allocated to this bill unfavorably with that given to a fox hunting bill in 2004, which received 700 hours of debate. He questioned why such an important measure was getting only limited discussion.
Catherine Robinson from Right To Life UK supported Cardinal Nichols' criticisms, calling the handling of the bill a "shambles." She pointed out inconsistencies in amendments proposed by Kim Leadbeater, who introduced the bill in Parliament.
The "Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill," approved by a narrow margin in November last year, allows life-ending medical assistance for those over 18 years old. It is currently under review by a parliamentary committee.
Critics have accused Leadbeater of biasing committee membership towards pro-suicide MPs and limiting public input. Concerns have also been raised about excluding certain voices from discussions and potential amendments extending eligibility criteria.
In response to these issues, David Alton from Britain's House of Lords expressed his apprehension regarding the impact on people with disabilities and potential misuse similar to cases observed in other countries like Canada and Holland.
Despite these controversies, some supporters believe further debate could sway opinions against it when it returns for reading in April. Catherine Robinson noted that many MPs are aware their constituents oppose this legislation strongly.
The Catholic Medical Association predicted resistance from clinicians if assisted suicide becomes legal in Britain due to ethical concerns about patient care standards potentially leading up to 100 deaths weekly once implemented nationwide according Jonathan Luxmoore reporting from Oxford England
