Bishop of Rochester speaks out against local MP’s assisted suicide Bill

The Bishop of Rochester has publicly opposed his MP’s decision to bring the assisted suicide Bill back to Parliament.

Anglican Bishop Jonathan Gibbs warned the proposals risked causing a huge societal shift which would put pressure on the elderly and most vulnerable.

In June, Lauren Edwards, the MP for Rochester and Strood, brought forward identical legislation to Kim Leadbeater’s controversial assisted suicide Bill, which narrowly passed in the House of Commons before stalling in the House of Lords. The Bill is set to be debated on 11 September.

‘Deeply concerned’

Speaking to ITV News Meridian, the Bishop of Rochester said that, while he respects Lauren Edwards enormously, he is “deeply concerned” about her Bill.

He explained: “If this kind of system is introduced, will it not change the relationship between society and the elderly and the vulnerable?

“In particular, those who may face some form of coercion or feel they’re a burden on society? I think we need to weigh very, very carefully the implications of such a huge change.”

Fund palliative care

Last week, the Prime Minister said he believes palliative and social care funding should be prioritised over debates on whether to legalise assisted suicide.

While addressing questions following a speech on social care, Andy Burnham told reporters that “it is very challenging to introduce that wider debate in a context of people not receiving that care and having the peace of mind about that care”.

Writing in The Times, former Scottish Labour MSP Rhoda Grant agreed that “no assisted dying should be available while the hospice sector remains so scandalously underfunded, leaving people facing death with little real choice”.

“Telling patients they are free to choose death while failing to guarantee basics such as care, housing and mental health support is not progress.”