The leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales made a strong defense of the role of religion in the political debate over assisted suicide, legislation for which will be voted on tomorrow in the House of Commons.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, was asked to respond to comments by Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the former Lord Chancellor, who on November 24 he told The Guardian that “religious beliefs” should not be imposed on others, when it comes to the debate on assisted suicide.
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During an interview with Times Radio on November 25, Cardinal Nichols said: “I thought we lived in a democracy where people were allowed to express their views and present an argument, a rational argument. If Mr Falconer can’t extend that space to religious belief, then I’m not sure why he should be in politics, really.”
The cardinal continued: “It is not that politics is a separate and isolated way of life, it is part of the life of this country. Religious belief is a very important part of life in this country, and most people in the world have a religious belief in God. So it’s Charlie Falconer who’s on the stand, not me.”
The decision on assisted suicide is believed to be “on a knife edge,” according to voting projections. Recent analysis by Election Maps UK indicates that 285 MPs are in favor of the new law, while 289 MPs are opposed.
When asked by Times Radio how he would feel if assisted suicide were legalized in England and Wales, Cardinal Nichols replied: “I would be afraid for many vulnerable people who would feel pressured. You know, the right to die can easily become a duty to die, which corrodes self-confidence.”
The Catholic archbishop has also added his signature to a letter published on November 24, signed by several religious leaders, including Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Coptic Orthodox and Greek Orthodox, in which they express “their deep concern” about the impact of the law.
“In the UK,” the letter states, “an estimated 2.7 million older people have been abused; many of them may also be vulnerable to pressure to end their lives prematurely. Campaigners Disability advocates and those working with women in abusive relationships have also highlighted the danger of unintended consequences if the law is changed.
“The experience of jurisdictions that have introduced similar legislation, such as Oregon and Canada, demonstrates how tragic these unintended consequences can be,” he notes.
He adds that “promised safeguards have not always protected the vulnerable and marginalized. Even when surrounded by loved family and friends, people at the end of their lives can still feel like a burden. This is especially so while adult social care remains underfunded. In this environment, it is easy to see how a ‘right to die’ could easily end in the feeling that one has a duty to die.”
Meanwhile, in the run-up to the debate an increasing number of senior political figures have spoken out against the bill.
Former prime ministers Boris Johnson, Teresa May, Liz Truss and Gordon Brown have indicated that they oppose the bill, while David Cameron, who served as prime minister between 2010 and 2016, has changed his mind in favor of the bill. assisted death.
Current senior members of the government, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, have made it clear that they oppose a change to the law and will vote against the bill.
The controversial bill is sponsored by MP Kim Leadbeater, and has been allocated five hours of debate tomorrow in the House of Commons.
After the debate, there will be a vote and, if the bill is ratified, it will move to the next stage of the legislative process. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) bill would allow terminally ill people, who have a prognosis of six months or less to live, to request physician-assisted suicide.
MPs have the right to a “free vote” on the issue, meaning they can vote according to their conscience, rather than along a party line.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published inCNA.
Madeleine Teahan
Madeleine is a former associate editor of the Catholic Herald. She has contributed to Sky News, BBC News, Woman’s Hour, Beyond Belief and many other programmes. He is also a regular contributor to Pause For Thought on BBC Radio 2.