ABC Council Cusher DUP representative Alderman Gareth Wilson has said the efforts of some MPs at Westminster to pursue an Assisted suicide bill is something that should be resisted “democratically and robustly”.
Alderman Wilson said he was concerned by societal shifts away from basic foundations, such as the intrinsic value of human life and he spoke of his concerns on Assisted Dying becoming law, in that it would set back anti-suicide efforts by decades and only enforce a negative message that in certain specific difficult situations ‘life isn’t worth living’.
Alderman Wilson said: “I am at a loss to comprehend why in the first instance there are elected representatives in our Westminster Parliament pursuing this matter. It is deeply negative, it is anti-life, depressing and dark and there are much more positive and life affirming actions that Members of Parliament could be pursuing that would improve the United Kingdom and improve people’s health generally in the UK – legislating for assisted suicide isn’t one of them.
“Northern Ireland has worked very hard with many programs and support networks to help reduce the numbers of people taking their own life because in their own specific, unique and truly difficult situations they feel this is their only option. I really feel strongly that an Assisted Dying law would massively set back efforts in this regard and through legislating for such a course of action, it would by default completely disrupt all the good work around suicide prevention right across the UK.”
Alderman Wilson added: “If such a law were to prevail it would put enormous psychological strain on people, such as the elderly or someone with a chronic or terminal condition, that they would feel a drain on society and what an absolutely catastrophic effect that alone would have on their health when what they need the most is better care and compassion. Is our health system at its very best? No it is not. Could we do better to improve the care pathways for people who have been diagnosed with a life limiting or terminal condition? Absolutely and why should that not be the focus of decision makers in Parliament?
“These attempts, like those around laws for aborting babies, need to be firmly rejected and the focus put back on providing the best care possible at all stages of life. How ridiculous to have laws which permit the killing of a child before it can experience the world and then at the other end of the spectrum also offer a service to end life. It is cold, dark and disturbing.”
