Campaigners have welcomed an Anglican bishop's warning about the assisted suicide bill due to be debated in Parliament at Westminster on 11 September.
The Rt Revd Mike Hill, the Bishop of Bristol, has warned on his blog that the desire of the seriously ill 'not to be a burden' is "capable of ruthless manipulation".
Bishop Hill also said that "the Christian Church has a long and noble history of seeking to assist people to die well without killing them ... We need more palliative care provision rather than handing out the right in law to take life."
Paul Tully, general secretary of SPUC Pro-Life www.spuc.org.uk a leading anti-euthanasia group, said:
"We congratulate Bishop Hill for his courageous witness to the sanctity of human life. He has given a good example to his fellow Anglican bishops and clergy and to all Christians. Seeking to assist people to die well without killing them is both a Christian and a deeply-rooted British value. Christians throughout history are famous for establishing hospices amongst the poorest, whether it be in London in the Middle Ages or in Mother Teresa's Calcutta in the 20th century."
For more detailed comments or an interview with Paul Tully, please contact Anthony Ozimic, SPUC's Media Manager, on: