Renewed attempt to sanction assisted suicide due Mon 26 Oct House of Lords

Following the defeat in the summer of Lord Falconer's attempt to widen the law on assisted suicide, Lord Alderdice has re-tabled his amendment to the Coroners and Justice bill. The amendment (see full text below) would allow assisted suicide. He had tabled the amendment for the bill's committee stage before the summer recess but withdrew it before it was debated. The amendment is likely to be debated this Monday (26 October) during the bill's report stage.

Please email members of the House of Lords to urge them to oppose the amendment. In the limited time available, I encourage you on this occasion to concentrate on sympathetic Lords, such as those Lords who voted against Lord Falconer's amendment - please use the email addresses on the voting list Simply select a Lord or Lords to write to who has the same initial as your surname. Please don't forget to forward any replies you receive to political@spuc.org.uk

Many arguments against assisted suicide, which you are recommended to use in your message to Lords, can be found at the following archived SPUC web-links:

• Alison's story 
• Baroness Campbell, resisting the campaign for assisted suicide 
• Lord McColl's article in The Telegraph in July 
• Baroness Jane Campbell in The Guardian in July 
• Dominic Lawson in The Independent in July 
• Joint letter from disability rights leaders in July 
• Lord Lester's particularly weak article promoting assisted suicide 
• Senior legal figures oppose assisted suicide amendments 
• Religious leaders' joint letter against assisted suicide 
• Powerful resistance by doctors' leader to assisted suicide push 
• Euthanasia and assisted suicide represent a culture of abandonment 

The amendment reads: "[N]o offence shall have been committed if assistance is given to a person to commit suicide who is suffering from a confirmed, incurable and disabling illness which prevents them from carrying through their own wish to bring their life to a close, if the person has received certification from a coroner who has investigated the circumstances, and satisfied himself that it is indeed the free and settled wish of the person that they bring their life to a close."

Comments on this blog? Email them to johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk
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