French Senate rejection of assisted suicide and euthanasia welcomed by UK pro-life group SPUC London, : The French Senate's overnight rejection of proposals to allow assisted suicide and euthanasia has been welcomed by SPUC Pro-Life, a leading anti-euthanasia organisation in the United Kingdom.

The Senate rejected the proposals by 170 votes to 142. Francois Fillon, the French prime minister, had spoken out strongly against the proposals.

John Smeaton, SPUC Pro-Life's director, said: "We hope that this victory for life will help people in the UK understand the strong opposition elsewhere to assisted suicide and euthanasia. The UK will do irreparable damage to its international reputation if it continues down the path of killing patients. The French vote is a wake-up call to UK politicians to start overturning laws, policies and court judgments which enshrine euthanasia by dehydration and which tolerate assisted suicide. We express our congratulations and admiration for the French pro-life movement in securing this victory for the sick, the disabled and the elderly."