Thousands Petition Against U.K. 'Assisted Dying' Bill
More than 8,000 people have signed a national petition opposing a bill that could make euthanasia legal in the United Kingdom.
LONDON – More than 8,000 people have signed a national petition opposing a bill that could make euthanasia legal in the United Kingdom.
The petition will be presented at 10 Downing Street – London home and office of the British Prime Minister – before noon on May 12, the day the bill is to be debated in the House of Lords. Following that, opponents of the bill will hold a rally outside the House of Lords to protest against the legislation.
Dr Brian Iddon, MP for Bolton South and Chairman of the Care Not Killing Campaign, said, “This is just the latest step in a massive, nationwide campaign against this deeply flawed and immoral Bill.”
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“We are encouraging everyone to stand up and be counted in the fight against the legalization of assisted suicide over the next few crucial days,” he sadded. “I therefore urge people to get involved in order to let parliament know what ordinary people think — every individual protest really matters now!”
Christian charity CARE, meanwhile, has been gathering protestors throughout the U.K. to unite and fight against the proposed euthanasia bill via their mobile phones and computers.
A new text and online petition campaign has been launched by the leading Christian organizations, in a firm drive to ensure that Lord Joffe’s Assisted Dying For the Terminally Ill Bill is rejected in Parliament.
The campaign comes as part of CARE’s “Life Valued Campaign,” which has seen many supporters gathering across Britain, focused on exposing and educating the public on some of the most widely believed “myths” about euthanasia.
Former human rights lawyer, Lord Joffe, put forward for consideration the bill which has been widely criticized by health professionals that say it would seriously endanger the rights of the people it is supposed to aid.
Andrea Williams of the Lawyer’s Christian Fellowship has said, “If the law is changed to allow 'assisted dying,' it is inevitable that emotional and financial pressures will be brought to bear on vulnerable people. The sick, frail or elderly often feel a burden on relatives, carers and a society short of resources. A law allowing assisted suicide would place them under huge pressure and no amount of safeguards would ever adequately protect the vulnerable.”
The bill is scheduled to be up for a public reading on May 12. At that time the bill will pass through without a vote taking place, and will be put forward before the committee stage, where it will be considered by the House of Lords.
