Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, joined seven other religious leaders in supporting a Private Member’s Bill on assisted dying.

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live to seek medical assistance to end their lives, is set for debate on 29th November. MPs will have a free vote.

In a letter seen by The Church Times, the group argues that "there is nothing sacred about suffering, nothing holy about agony"“.

It continues: "If a terminally-ill person does not wish to live out their last few months in pain, for what purpose should they be forced to do so?”

Lord Carey, Rabbi Jonathan Romain, and other signatories met Leadbeater at Parliament. The letter includes signatures from Liberal Judaism, Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, and Islam representatives. The leaders argue that religious support for assisted dying is not monolithic.

The Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, expressed concerns in an ad clerum about risks to vulnerable people. Several bishops, including the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, oppose the Bill, cautioning against pressure on vulnerable individuals to end their lives.

The House of Bishops discussed the Bill, noting the need for palliative care investment and compassion in the debate.