In The News

Archbishop speaks out against assisted deaths

Archbishop speaks out against assisted deaths

The Archbishop of York, who is visiting Northern Ireland, has spoken out against any change in the law to allow assisted deaths. 

Dr. John Sentamu, who is in Belfast to give a series of lectures, was speaking  after calls were made for ‘euthanasia tribunals’ to be established to give people access to medical help to end their lives.

The call for Tribunals was made by the author Sir Terry Pratchett who is suffering from a rare form of early onset Alzheimber’s Disease.

Sir Terry said the time is coming for legalising assisted death. 

Two polls were also publshed today (Monday, February 1) which appear to support the author’s view. One poll for the BBC’s Panorama programme said 73 per cent of people believed friends and relatives should be able to assist the suicide of a terminally ill loved one. The other poll for the Daily Telegraph claimed 75 per cent of people backed a change the law.

But Dr. Sentamu said the issue should be left to Parliament and that “to rely on opinion polls simply won’t do”.

The Archbishop of York said the “silent majority” never get asked to take part in opinion polls.

However, Dr. Sentamu added: “Maybe medicine sometimes has intervened too far when actually a natural death would have been the thing”.

 

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