by Kaya Burgess, The Times
Lord Carey told bishops and the House of Lords to endorse the legislation because public support is high and they ‘risk their legitimacy’ if they oppose it
The House of Lords and the Church of England “risk their legitimacy” if bishops and peers oppose public will by standing in the way of legalising assisted dying, a former Archbishop of Canterbury has warned.
Lord Carey of Clifton said that proposals to change the law had the “commanding support” of the British public and had been passed by elected MPs after an “unprecedented period of scrutiny”.
However, his position was at odds with other Anglican leaders on a second day of debate on the proposals, during which the bill passed its second reading in the House of Lords.
In an unprecedented move, the bill will now be scrutinised by a Lords select committee, who will hear from ministers and experts on how the law would work in practice.
Read also: Bishop of Chichester’s speech to the House of Lords on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill by Martyn Warner, Anglican Ink