Christian leaders are voicing strong opposition to the Assisted Dying Bill as new amendments are introduced to ensure more rigorous safeguards.
Sixteen pages of amendments have been proposed ahead of a parliamentary committee’s scrutiny of the bill concerning terminally ill adults next week.
New proposals include requiring doctors to outline a full spectrum of care options—including palliative care—before assisted dying is discussed.
The changes come amid mounting concerns about potential coercion and questions over patients' mental capacity during such critical decisions.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, has condemned the government's decision to present the sensitive legislation as a private member's bill, allowing only a single morning of debate. He described this approach as “irresponsible,” arguing that it undermines thorough democratic scrutiny.
Christian MP Rachael Maskell, who voted against the bill, has launched a commission into palliative and end-of-life care. Speaking to Premier Christian News, Maskell criticised the legislative process, stating the bill is being “forced through Parliament.”
“The bill is not fit for purpose,” Maskell said. “We had lawyers debating the judicial process, doctors highlighting insecure medical procedures, and testimonies revealing how difficult it is to assess mental capacity and detect coercion. We also heard how minoritised and socio-economically deprived communities could be disproportionately affected, increasing healthcare inequality rather than addressing it.”
Maskell is advocating for a comprehensive public consultation, emphasising the need to consider the lived experiences of those facing end-of-life decisions. She argues the bill will “drive people to die” and is campaigning for an improved system of palliative care, medicine, and support “to enable people to live the fullest life they can.”
“[The process] is asking MPs, who don't know anything about medicine to prescribe what happens at the end of someone's life? This isn't how we should be doing politics,” she added.
