Bishops of England and Wales condemn 'flawed and dangerous' assisted dying bill

Summary

The article reports that the UK House of Commons is expected to resume debate and vote at the second reading of an assisted-suicide bill on 11 September. Introduced by Labour MP Lauren Edwards on 17 June, the bill is described as substantially identical to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill introduced in 2024 by Kim Leadbeater. That earlier bill reportedly fell in the House of Lords in April 2026 after approximately 1,200 amendments were tabled. Catholic bishops in England and Wales are urging MPs to reject the legislation. Archbishop John Sherrington, the Catholic Church’s Lead Bishop for Life Issues, calls the bill “flawed and dangerous,” arguing that it lacks adequate safeguards against coercion and fails to protect disabled people, those with eating disorders, and victims of domestic abuse. He also raises concerns about conscientious objection, institutional opt-outs for hospices and care homes, and possible harm to palliative-care development. Bishop Philip Egan warns of “mission creep,” citing expansion of eligibility in other countries and claiming that assisted deaths account for more than 5% of deaths in Canada. Bishop Stephen Wright opposes assisted suicide on grounds of human dignity and argues that the bill is unnecessary and insufficiently protective. The article presents the bishops’ objections but does not independently verify the bill’s provisions or the comparative international claims.