The Christian advocacy group CARE has voiced concerns over the "robust safeguards" proposed in the new assisted dying legislation, questioning whether they will be sufficient to prevent harm.
The bill, led by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, would allow terminally ill adults with less than six months to live to seek medical assistance to end their lives, provided they are mentally competent and have approval from two doctors and the High Court.
Leadbeater says she plans to focus on "shortening death” rather than “ending life,” through the “strictest safeguards in the world.”
Those with mental health conditions are not eligible under this bill and patients will be required to self-administer the medication to ensure voluntary decision-making.
Jamie Gillies, CARE’s Head of Campaigns and Media, warned that while the bill claims strict eligibility criteria, international cases show such laws often expand over time.
Speaking to Premier Christian News, he stressed that eligibility might widen to include those who aren’t terminally ill but experience “unbearable suffering,” pushing the law down a potentially irreversible path. “People will challenge the eligibility criteria,” he added.
Gillies also questioned the reliability of six-month prognoses, saying, “A six-month prognosis is notoriously fraught. Doctors don't know how long someone has left. I know of someone who was given six months and went on to live 12 years.”
He also warned that the proposed bill could expose vulnerable individuals to subtle coercion or economic pressure.
“there's no kind of legal safeguard that could prevent a person opting to end their own life because they feel like a burden on others,” he added.
At a Westminster press conference, former Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Max Hill called the assisted dying bill a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for Parliament. He argued that current law forces those with resources to travel abroad for assisted dying, while others may face illegal, unregulated options at home.
Gillies argues quality palliative care is a better solution and has called on Christians to prioritise the “Biblical call” to care for those who are suffering.
Sir Keir Starmer, who previously supported assisted dying has described the issue as "a very important question on which views differ, strongly held views on either side".
The Prime Minister added: "I will not be putting pressure on any MP to vote one way or the other.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said he intends to vote against the Bill, voicing his fears about coercion and people feeling a "duty to die."
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is set for debate on 29th November, marking the first Commons vote on assisted dying since 2015.
