from Christian Today
With just over a week to go until the assisted suicide bill reaches its House of Lords second reading debate, campaigners have urged supporters and believers to pray and to make their voices heard.
Although the proposal passed the House of Commons earlier this year, assisted suicide must still make its way through the House of Lords and receive royal assent before it can become law.
Traditionally, the Lords do not significantly oppose government bills that fulfil election promises. However, such a convention does not apply in the case of the assisted suicide bill, which is being brought as a private member’s bill by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, and was not in Labour’s manifesto.
Indeed, the Cabinet itself is split on the issue. Notably the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, voted against the bill, citing concerns that the NHS’ budget could not support additional services and that inadequate palliative care may inadvertently herd people towards the suicide option.
Ahead of the House of Lords Second Reading debate on 12 September, campaign group Care Not Killing has urged supporters to write to members of the upper house to “make your message heard”.