Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury in attack on assisted dying law plans

The Right Reverend Mark Davies delivered the warning in a homily to 800 pilgrims from the diocese of Shrewsbury at Lourdes in France.

The bishop has called on people to lobby MPs over a private member's bill being introduced by Wolverhampton Labour MP Rob Marris on September 11.

Pulling no punches in his criticism of the proposals, Bishop Davies said the bill would amount to "the medical killing of some of the weakest members of society".

He also voiced concerns that the legalisation of assisted dying would lead to people coming under pressure to end their lives.

Bishop Davies said: "The proposed law for assisted dying will remove legal protections for the lives of some of the most vulnerable in our land. It is the first step on the road to euthanasia: the medical killing of some of the weakest members of society.

"By the proposed law, those in our hospitals and care homes will be offered assistance to commit suicide. The very ones who should be accorded the greatest support will be legally offered help towards killing themselves.

"Conscious of the sometimes scandalous neglect of elderly people in our present health and care provision we can imagine the pressures under which some of the most vulnerable will come if assisted suicide becomes the mindset of British society."

The Bishop, speaking at the holy site yesterday, said that pressure on sick people could lead to them seeing themselves as a "burden".

He said: "We have good reason to fear that the right to die will quickly become the duty to die. And those who should be most cherished and cared for will increasingly see themselves as an unwanted burden to society.

"We may only have a matter of weeks to make our voices heard before Parliament decides whether a culture of care or a culture of suicide and eventually of killing prevails."

The intention behind Mr Marris's bill is to give people who are terminally ill the choice to be assisted to end their lives.

It would mean those with less than six months to live, who are of sound mind and a settled opinion, would be allowed to ask for a lethal prescription of drugs.

Two doctors would have to agree and their decision would be reviewed by a High Court judge in each case.

The bill is essentially the same as one introduced to the House of Lords by Lord Falconer last year, except for a requirement for a High Court judge to approve applications for suicide within a fortnight of them being made.

The Prime Minister has granted members of the Conservative Party a free vote when it comes before the House of Commons.