John Smeaton, SPUC national director, commented on the last reading of the Bill, "Scheduling such a crucial debate on a pro-life issue on such an inconvenient day and time shows contempt for democracy. Any member of the House of Commons who is concerned about euthanasia must do whatever is possible on 5th April to reverse the Bill's euthanasia nature. Parliament is on the brink - it can either preserve what is left of the sanctity of human life in our law or make the survival of the fittest the standard for our health service."
Apparently, the controversy in Terri Schiavo’s case has become strong real-life evidence to support the UK pro-lifers’ argument.
CMF General Secretary Peter Saunders said, "The tragic situation unfolding in the USA with Terri Schiavo illustrates the profound difficulties of granting an individual Power of Attorney to make life-and-death healthcare decisions for somebody without capacity. We don’t know what Terri really wanted, and whether her husband Michael is accurately describing her wishes or whether her parents and other family members taking the opposite view are correct. But the case illustrates how decisions made by those close to a patient can be swayed by personal interests and financial gain."
Public Policy Officer for LCF, Andrea Williams added, "The Schiavo case clearly illustrates why the proposed amendment should be passed. We strongly urge the House of Lords to follow the wise course it has already adopted with respect to Court Appointed deputies not having power over life and death, and accept the proposed amendment barring those with power of attorney from making life and death decisions."
Smeaton of SPUC warned, "The failure to address this problem will have profound repercussions. The passage of the Bill will mean that doctors will be forced to choose between killing some of their patients and leaving the profession. It will destroy what is left of medical ethics in this country."
Currently, the SPUC is planning to stage a mass lobby to the British Parliament at Westminster, London on 27th-28th April. People from across the country will visit Westminster to lobby their MPs about the amendment of the Bill. As this is one of the very last chances to overturn the crisis over euthanasia in the UK, many pro-lifers are expected to join the campaign.
SPUC, whose motto is "Defending human life with love from conception to natural death", has long been one of the leading organisations campaigning against euthanasia in Britain.
CMF is an interdenominational organisation with over 4,500 British doctor members in all branches of medicine. It is linked to about 60 similar bodies in other countries throughout the world. CMF exists to unite Christian doctors to pursue the highest ethical standards in Christian and professional life and to increase faith in Christ and acceptance of his ethical teaching.
