Shabana Mahmood Should Not Impose Religious Beliefs on Assisted Dying Debate, Says Labour Peer

 

Shabana Mahmood Should Not Impose Religious Beliefs on Assisted Dying Debate, Says Labour Peer

Labour peer Lord Charlie Falconer has criticized Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood for allowing her religious beliefs to influence her opposition to assisted dying, a contentious issue set for debate in Parliament this week.

Speaking to Sky News, Falconer, a prominent advocate for legalizing assisted dying for terminally ill patients, acknowledged Mahmood’s “religious and spiritual reasons” for opposing the legislation but argued, “They shouldn’t be imposed on everybody else.”

Mahmood, the UK’s highest-ranking Muslim politician, expressed concerns about the proposed law in a letter to her constituents, warning of a “slippery slope towards death on demand” and stating, “The state should never offer death as a service.”

Falconer dismissed this argument, stating that evidence from other countries shows such legislation does not lead to broader expansions. “Wherever a terminally ill assisted dying bill has been introduced, it doesn’t expand to anything else,” he said.

The debate has sparked division within the Labour Party, with differing views on religious influence in policymaking. Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who introduced the bill, called for robust discussion on the matter. “The point about religion does come into this debate,” she said. “There are people who would never support a change in the law because of their religious beliefs. Equally, within faith communities, there are a range of opinions.”

Leadbeater highlighted prominent religious leaders like former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey and Rabbi Jonathan Romain, who support changing the law.

Polling by More in Common revealed that Mahmood’s constituency, Birmingham Ladywood, is one of only seven in the UK where a majority opposes assisted dying. These constituencies have higher-than-average religious populations, predominantly Muslim.

Despite the contentious debate, Leadbeater remains firm in her position. “We have people now whom the law is failing. Families are losing loved ones in harrowing circumstances, and people are having very painful deaths. By creating a legal framework, we can improve the situation,” she said.

Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, also voiced her support for the bill, emphasizing the need for people to have more control over their end-of-life decisions. “This bill has the right safeguards to ensure it is done properly,” Kendall told the BBC.

The vote on the bill is set to be a pivotal moment in the UK’s ongoing discussion about assisted dying, balancing ethical, religious, and practical considerations.