Dear Parishioners,
Fiona Bruce MP and the All Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group have written requesting your help.
As many of you will know, Rob Marris MP is trying to legalise assisted suicide.
This battle will be won or lost in constituencies – many MPs we have spoken to are saying that they will “see what their constituents have to say” before making up their minds. The more your MP realises that there is opposition in their constituency, the more likely they will be to vote against. It really is essential that you do all you can to influence their decision. You really will make a difference.
Please could you:
- Make contact with your MP using this tool http://notoassistedsuicide.org.uk/ or, you can also use this link http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/
- Ask for a meeting at one of their local constituency surgeries. At the meeting, there are two things that need to be communicated:
- Say that you would like them to oppose the Bill
- Say that you would like them to turn up on Friday September to 11th to vote against the Bill.
Crucially, we then need you to let us know the results of your efforts. We need this intelligence as it helps us to calculate whether or not we can win the vote.
If you cannot get to see your MP, please write to them in your own words setting out why you oppose assisted suicide using this link (some helpful evidence-based arguments are available here). http://notoassistedsuicide.org.uk/
Also Archbishop Peter Smith has written: “I strongly urge all Catholics to contact their own MP as soon as possible to express their concern about the dangerous impact which such a Bill would have on the most vulnerable people. MPs do listen to their own constituents. What is needed is more and better palliative care, not assistance with suicide.” I recommend these excellent websites: the Bishops Conference www.catholicnews.org.uk/assisted-suicide and the Anscombe Bioethics centre www.bioethics.org.uk “
Remember that every charity for the disabled is adamantly opposed to this Bill! Although parliament is in recess the Assisted Dying Bill will be debated after their return on September 7th. Please act now.
Fr John