Faith leaders condemn Falconer bill

Cardinal Vincent Nichols and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, joined leaders of the main faiths and Christian denominations in Britain to condemn the Assisted Dying Bill.

In a statement ahead of this week’s second reading of Lord Falconer’s bill in the House of Lords, the faith leaders warned that the bill would have “a serious detrimental effect on the well-being of individuals and on the nature and shape of our society”.

They said the bill “would allow individuals to participate actively in ending others’ lives, in effect colluding in the judgement that they are of no further value. This is not the way forward for a compassionate and caring society.”

Some bishops took the concern further by issuing pastoral guidance. The Bishop of Portsmouth, Philip Egan, called on all his parishes to hold a “holy hour” of prayer to ask for the “protection of human life in its end stages”.

He warned that the legalisation of assisted suicide would mark the “catastrophic collapse” of respect for human life.

The Bishop of Plymouth, Mark O’Toole, said the bill effectively sanctioned physician-assisted ­suicide. “Whilst we believe every person should be given appropriate treatment in their suffering we do not always use extra­ordinary means to extend life at all costs. At the same time it is not acceptable to deliberately put an end to the lives of the disabled, of the sick or of dying people.”

There was surprise when Lord Carey of Clifton, a former Archbishop of Canterbury, said he had changed his mind on the issue and that he now backed the bill. He was countered by Archbishop Welby who said he would never support assisted dying. Archbishop Welby also warned in a BBC Newsnight interview of “the risks and dangers to people who would be put under pressure if the law changed”. He said: “I’m afraid it’s a hard reality. Not everyone is nice.”