Jan 132015
Press Release: 12th January 2015 @ 13:00
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“NOT IN OUR NAME”
Terminally
ill and disabled people speak out against the Assisted Dying Bill ahead
of their protest outside the House of Lords on Friday, 16th January 2015.
Lord Falconer’s Assisted Dying Bill will be debated in the House of Lords on Friday, 16th
January 2015. Members of Not Dead Yet UK and others, will protest
against the Bill outside the Houses of Parliament. They will carry
pictures and statements from 80 terminally ill and disabled individuals
whose conditions prevent them from travelling to London or sitting
outside in cold weather.
Celebrity
supporters of the Bill are well known already but politicians need to
hear and value the opinions of people living with terminal illnesses and
severe disabilities. We oppose any change in the law on assisted
suicide because we fear it will put lives at risk. We do not accept that
safeguards proposed in the Bill are adequate.
Not
Dead Yet UK firmly believes that terminally ill and disabled people
need the full protection of the law, especially at times when they,
their families and friends may be fearful of the future. That is why we
oppose the Assisted Dying Bill.
Sian
Vasey, a Not Dead Yet UK member, said, “When people ask to be assisted
to die, this is often in isolation and before everything possible has
been done to alleviate their situation in terms of medical, social and
emotional support. Fears for the future are the most common reasons for a
person to request assisted suicide”.
Photo opportunity
Time: 10:00AM – 1:00 PM
Venue: Old Palace Yard (opposite the House of Lords)
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Notes to Editors:
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Not Dead Yet UK is a campaigning network of disabled people founded in 2006 to oppose legislation on assisted dying for disabled and terminally ill people.
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NDY UK is an international ally to Not Dead Yet, USA http://www.notdeadyet.org/
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Not Dead Yet UK promotes equality for disabled people in a secular context; it is not faith centred or allied to any organised religion. Its supporters come from all sections of the community. Its guiding principles are to value the lives of terminally ill and disabled people and oppose assisted suicide.