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The Church of England has voted to continue to oppose assisted dying. In a meeting of the General Synod on 10 July, Church leaders voted to oppose any change in the law.

The Synod debated the private member’s motion tabled by Dr Simon Eyre. In a background note, the Synod’s Secretary-General, William Nye, wrote that the Church of England “has been adamant in its rejection of a change in the current law in parliament”.

In a piece for the Church Times, Rvd Canon Rosie Harper said the Church:

“is using its moral heft to deprive others of that freedom to choose the manner of their death. More than 80 per cent of religious people want a compassionate new law. Still, a few senior church leaders claim that their moral insight is superior to that of the common person. The implication is, therefore, that the more senior you are, the deeper your insight and the more correct your moral compass.”

“Where we are now is neither loving nor compassionate. A new law would protect the most vulnerable with proper checks: a far better situation than the current one. It would prevent early suicides. It would give comfort to many more people than those who actually took the final step, and it would restore the dignity of being able to decide about their own life at the very point when they need that freedom the most.”

Four in five Christians support assisted dying. A Populus poll in 2015 of 5,018 adults showed that 80% of Christians want to see assisted dying made legal.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death My Decision, said:

It is disappointing to see the Church of England take such a trenchant position on a matter like assisted dying – as politicians keep telling us, this is a matter of individual conscience. So should it also be for members of the Church. Our patron, Rev’d Canon Rosie Harper (who is a former member of the General Synod), has succinctly summarised how a compassionate law with appropriate protocols would provide the very protections that are lacking with our own, current – indeed broken – laws.

We hope that all members of the Church will listen to the evidence when we have a parliamentary inquiry, including that from countries that have allowed assisted dying for many years and, in some cases, decades. Based on that they can then make an informed decision.

Notes:
My Death, My Decision is a grassroots non-profit organisation that campaigns for a balanced and compassionate approach to assisted dying in England and Wales. As a growing movement, we are at the forefront of social change: nearly 90% of the public now favours a change in the law to allow adults of sound mind, who are either terminally ill or facing incurable suffering, the option of a peaceful, painless, and dignified death.

MPs are increasingly backing an inquiry into assisted dying. In a debate in Westminster Hall, 31 MPs spoke during the debate in a packed room, with an inspiring 20 in favour of assisted dying. Seven different MPs from all parties called for an inquiry into assisted dying. 

My Death, My Decision has long pushed for an inquiry. Last year we organised the largest parliamentary joint-statement ever in support of an assisted dying inquiry. 50+ MPs and peers – from across the political spectrum, including some previously opposed to assisted dying reform – signed our statement calling for an inquiry into the law. We have organised open letters, bringing together the claimants and families of most of the past assisted dying cases, and 34 doctors, politicians, religious leaders, academics, and campaigners in support of an inquiry.

Alicia Kearns, Conservative MP for Rutland and Melton brought up the case of our friend and her constituent Phil Newby, who has advanced motor neurone disease.  Phil went to the High Court and asked it to make a judgment about assisted dying. Kearns called for a meaningful debate and vote on to allow the people of Britain to have their say on assisted dying.

Paul Bloomfield, Labour MP for Sheffield Central , spoke beautifully about his personal experience of the existing law and recognised “the pain it causes, and the way it forces so many into desperate and premature deaths.” 

Laura Trott, Conservative MP for Sevenoaks highlighted the case of our member Dawn-Voice Cooper, who had an assisted death in Switzerland last year. Trott said:

[Dawn] came to see me in a surgery before she died, and it was one of those surgeries, which all Members in this room will have had, that will stay with me forever. Dawn suffered from a long-term, degenerative and incurable medical condition. By her mid-30s it was affecting all her joints, including her neck and spine. 

Let us be clear: Dawn had that choice [of an assisted death in Switzerland] because she had money. Other people do not. I am immensely proud that the UK is a fair and compassionate society, but we must now uphold those values. As overseas evidence continues to grow, our own reasons not to legislate in some form are becoming less and less convincing. To use Dawn’s own words,“There is no escaping death. And as things are in the UK at the moment; there is no escaping pain, lack of dignity and total deterioration in life.”

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death My Decision, said: 

Finally, the mood at Westminster in favour of an inquiry into assisted dying is changing. For too long MPs have ducked the issue, despite overwhelming support among the public. An inquiry will enable them to make an informed decision, hearing and testing evidence from around the world where assisted dying is already permitted. 

We know that the alarmist statements of opponents do not stand up scrutiny, because other countries have shown that. The time for politicians to do the right thing is approaching fast. We welcome that.

Assisted dying will be debated in Westminster Hall on the 4th July at 4.30pm. Since Parliament last considered assisted dying in 2015, around 250 million more people around the world have the right to choose an assisted death – a total of over 360 million worldwide. However, today’s debate will not lead to any binding votes or legislation.

The debate was organised following a petition to ‘legalise assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults’ which gained over 150,000 signatures. The petition said ‘The Government should bring forward legislation to allow assisted dying for adults who are terminally ill and have mental capacity.’

Assisted dying legislation should not be restricted to just the terminally ill. People who are unbearably, incurably suffering, such as Paul Lamb, should also have the right to a dignified, compassionate death on their own terms.  

Baroness Meacher’s Assisted Dying Bill fell after the committee stage in the House of Lords and there is not expected to be any assisted dying bill in this parliamentary session. A recent ONS study revealed that serious health conditions more than double the suicide rate, further showing the need for a compassionate, safeguarded assisted dying law.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death My Decision, said:

This Westminster Hall debate is a welcome opportunity for MPs to hear why we need a compassionate assisted dying law for England & Wales – following in the footsteps of Scotland and Jersey, where laws are expected soon. But debate is not enough. 

On the one hand the government says that assisted dying is an issue of conscience and so not government business, while on the other it refuses to set up a parliamentary inquiry or any other initiative to allow politicians to make an informed decision. That is tantamount to opposition, which is out of kilter with the around 90% of the public who support having a law. The time for change is now.