Assisted suicide vote – evangelical reactions

Evangelicals are processing the news that assisted suicide is a significant step closer to being legalised in the UK.

Following its second reading, MPs voted 330 to 275 today in favour of Kim Leadbeater’s bill –The draft Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – to legalise assisted suicide for people who have six months left to live, and who have mental capacity to make the choice.

The historic vote, which had been predicted to be incredibly close, took place straight after an emotional five-hour debate on the topic, which saw the House of Commons ‘rammed full’ (BBC). There was a majority of 55, with 50 MPs abstaining.

Among those speaking during the debate was Christian MP Danny Kruger, who declared that: ‘We are the safeguard, this place, this parliament… we are the people who protect the most vulnerable in society from harm and yet we stand on the brink of abandoning that role.’

Evangelicals react: A very black Friday indeed

As the news sinks in, many evangelicals are expressing their dismay.

Former MP Miriam Cates posted on social media platform X: 'A dark day for Britain.'

The director of the Evangelical Alliance Gavin Calver posted, 'Utterly gutted that MPs have voted 330 to 275 in favour of the second reading of the assisted dying bill... We at Evangelical Alliance will keep doing all we can to protect life. Lord have mercy.'

In a statement to en, Danny Webster, director of advocacy for the Evangelical Alliance, said he was also 'deeply disappointed'.

'This is the biggest change to how our society treats life in many years. In recent weeks the Evangelical Alliance has stood alongside other faith groups, disability groups, medics, lawyers and many who have spoken out and urged their MP to reject the bill. More than 1,200 Christian leaders joined a letter to MPs opposing the bill.

'If eventually passed this bill will normalise suicide in our society as a positive option, it will place the most vulnerable at risk of abuse and coercion. In the coming months we will continue to work unabated to ensure it does not become law.'

In an interview with the BBC, Christian MP Tim Farron said, 'The evidence from around the world is people who are vulnerable will end up coerced from all this.

'This is quite a rubicon we've crossed in a society that on the one hand thinks suicide is an appalling thing, and yet in these circumstances we will enable people to take that step.'

Dave Paterson from Christians in Politics said to en, 'The vote is difficult and challenging. As Christians we must acknowledge the will of Parliament, while still passionately advocating for the sanctity of life, the protection of the vulnerable people who could face varying levels of coercion, a stronger palliative care system and we must hold to our belief that all humans are wonderfully made in the image of God.'

Responding to the vote, Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said in a statement: 'Today is indeed a very Black Friday for the vulnerable in this country, but this is not over.

'The proposals in this dangerous bill have been completely exposed. The proposed safeguards are completely meaningless, and more and more MPs are waking up to that reality. This bill will create more suffering and chaos in the NHS, not less, and if it goes through, the vulnerable will become more vulnerable.'

Graham Nicholls, Director of Affinity, said to en he was 'desperately disappointed' and that 'it now feels the UK is a much less safe space to be if you are seriously ill.' He added, 'I believe this is wrong in principle but also it is being rushed through without proper debate and scrutiny. It is well known that a six-month terminal diagnosis is an almost meaningless term and in practice anyone terminally ill could be included. As our own experience here and across the world show, we know the safeguards will fall away and it will be a licence for suicide in all kinds of contexts – and will profoundly change the relationship between carers, families and patients.

'However, we trust in a sovereign God and will continue to pray for the future debate of this bill that it may fail to make it to the statute book but if so, that more safeguards will be added, and we will work to make sure everyone can die with the inherent dignity of being a human made in God’s image until they draw their final breath.'

In response to the vote, Ross Hendry, CEO of Christian Action, Research and Education (CARE) commented on what many MPs were chiefly concerned with during today's debate: the lack of safeguards. He said, 'Today’s vote is deeply troubling, particularly for vulnerable and marginalised people in England and Wales who are fearful of a change in the law.

'As with other assisted suicide bills in the past, there are no safeguards in this bill that will rule out coercion of vulnerable people, and people ending their lives because they feel like a burden or lack proper support. There is no such thing as a "safe" assisted suicide law. Parliament does have a responsibility to build better support for those who are dying but not through this dangerous bill. We need a national conversation on how we ensure excellent, universally accessible end-of-life and palliative care, and stronger support for marginalised groups.'

Ciarán Kelly, Director of The Christian Institute said in a statement that the fight is not over: 'We are deeply disappointed that the Commons has agreed to endorse this dangerous and divisive Bill. We are grateful to the many MPs who spoke and voted against it, and the fight is not over. We know that the more people know about assisted suicide the less they like it. Those MPs who supported the principle of the bill but have concerns about its practical implications must now take the time to scrutinise it properly. They will find the promised safeguards are nothing more than a mirage. They will then have a further opportunity to vote against the bill before it clears the Commons. If it does go to the House of Lords, it is by no means guaranteed to pass there. 

'We urge Christians to keep on praying and to be ready to approach their MPs again over the coming months. This is a life and death issue. Now is not the time to give up.'

On X, Director of Networks for London City Mission Carl Knightly commented, 'I'm very distressed by the result of the vote for assisted dying. While I recognise the emotive nature of this bill my overriding concern is for all those who are ageing and infirm and who will look down the road to find suicide on the list of menu options, and the psychological pressure that may add. Whether old or young, able bodied or not, whatever your circumstances, you are made in Gods image and precious.'

What happens next?

There is still a long way to go before the bill is made law – it will not return to Parliament until April 2025. MPs will have the chance to vote on the bill twice more, including on any new amendments and then also at a third reading, before it proceeds to the House of Lords.

Between now and April, a committee of MPs, chosen by Leadbeater, will examine all the provisions in the bill and have the opportunity to toughen up the safeguards – Leadbeater has stated she will include the bill's opponents on this committee, as well as MPs from a range of parties.

Many remain committed to defeating the bill. In an interview with the BBC, MP Danny Kruger said, 'The good news from my perspective is that a lot of members said they were only supporting the second reading because they want to see the bill improved in committee.

'So that's what we absolutely need to try and do now, and I'm hopeful that we'll either manage to address all the concerns that I and others have about this bill, or those MPs who said they also have concerns and hope they'll be addressed, if they're not addressed those MPs will vote it down at the third reading.'