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Thunderclap your disapproval

On Friday November 7th the ‘Assisted Dying Bill’ returns to the House of Lords to be debated and amended line by line.We have to show the Lords, the public and the media that disabled people do not want to give doctor’s the power to end our lives. We do not want the state sanctioned killing of old, ill and disabled people of all impairments. We do not want to legalise assisted suicide.This Bill is not safe! We want support to live, not to die.

https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/18455-assisted-living-not-dying?locale=en

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Empty shoes and empty wheelchairs protest 7th November.

Empty wheelchairs (and shoes) are to be placed outside Parliament by disabled people opposed to the Assisted Dying Bill. Led by members of Not Dead Yet UK, the protest will take place on Friday, 7th November 2014, the day that the House of Lords will next debate the Bill.

Disabled people are opposed to any change in the law on assisted suicide because they fear it will put their lives at risk. They do not accept that the safeguards proposed in the Bill are adequate.  Not Dead Yet UK believes that 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.

The empty wheelchairs (and shoes) represent lives that could be lost if assisted suicide is legalised and the attached slogans give voice to those lives. 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 said, “Many of us need support with our daily routine, washing, dressing, continence and going to the loo but this in no way affects our well-being, or diminishes our dignity. We get the help we need, but we have had to fight hard to get it. Those who develop terminal and disabling conditions later on in life often find it impossible to grapple with the social care system. It is a tragic fact that this is a primary cause of such people wanting to end their lives prematurely”.

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

Date: Friday, 7th November 2014

Time: 09:00AM – 10:00AM

Venue: Old Palace Yard (opposite the House of Lords)

For media enquiries, interviews and case studies please contact:-

 Dennis Queen, 07970 959791 / missdennisqueen@gmail.com

 Sian Vasey, 07887 757228 / scvasey@btinternet.com

 Roger Symes, 020-7362 0220 / rogersymes@btconnect.com

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The Falconer Bill Debate is on the 7th November. A Call to Action!

Protest at the House of Lords on Friday 7th November.  Meeting 8 / 8.30 (or as early as you can make it) at the Methodist Central Hall where it’s warm and there’s loos. We need as many of you as we can muster – disabled people and allies please. We might be able to help some with travel costs and accommodation if you can come from further afield? We will not be out in the cold for long. It’s going to be short, sharp, effective and fun. Please try and be there. This is important!

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The Falconer Bill Committee stage set for 7th November

For those of you who have not seen the proposed Bill here is the link you need. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/lbill/2014-2015/0006/lbill_2014-20150006_en_2.htm#l1g1

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The Falconer Bill Debate is on the 7th November. A Call to Action!

Protest at the House of Lords on Friday 7th November.  Meeting 8 / 8.30 (or as early as you can make it) at the Methodist Central Hall where it’s warm and there’s loos. We need as many of you as we can muster – disabled people and allies please. We might be able to help some with travel costs and accommodation if you can come from further afield? We will not be out in the cold for long. It’s going to be short, sharp, effective and fun. Please try and be there. This is important!

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A round up of links and stories- Here is a summary of the activity from last week

Assisted dying bill moves a step closer, The Times (£):
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article4151324.ece
Grimness of it all left a silent melancholy: Quentin Letts watches as subdued Lords wrestle with a heavy responsibility, The Daily Mail:
‘Historic moment’ as assisted suicide debated in the Lords, ITV:
http://www.itv.com/news/story/2014-07-18/historic-moment-as-assisted-dying-bill-debated-in-lords/
Assisted dying would lessen suffering, says Falconer, BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28352680
Baroness Ilora Finlay: Assisted Dying Bill ‘too dangerous’, BBC News: 

Paralympian warns on assisted dying, Daily Mail:
I can’t recall somebody near death saying they want to die, Jo Fernandes Channel 4:
Lord Mitchell suspects mother-in-law killed herself over fears of being accomplice in husband’s suicide, The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/assisted-dying/10977475/Lord-Mitchell-suspects-mother-in-law-killed-herself-over-fears-of-being-accomplice-in-husbands-suicide.html
Assisted suicide would lure me to the grave, says Baroness Campbell during marathon 10-hour House of Lords debate, Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2697988/Right-die-send-road-hell-says-Lord-Tebbit-marathon-10-hour-House-Lords-debate-assisted-suicide.html
Assisted dying will create ‘a breeding ground for vultures’ claims Tebbit after Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned against ‘devaluing’ human life, Daily Mail:
Assisted dying: sick mother would have fired gun, BBC News:
Assisted dying is ‘compatible with Christianity’, ITV:
Assisted dying bill supporters and opponents gather outside House of Lords as legislation debate gets underway, The Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/assisted-dying-bill-supporters-and-opponents-gather-outside-house-of-lords-as-legislation-debate-gets-underway-9615421.html
Legalising assisted dying will put too much pressure on people, says bishop:
Don’t let doctors play God, says disabled actress (Liz Carr), The Times (£):
Assisted dying: God would understand my desire to end my suffering, The Telegraph:
Lord Falconer on the Andrew Marr Show (20.07.14):
Royal College of Psychiatrists: Statement on the Assisted Dying Bill:
Indian media: Health minister calls for euthanasia debate, BBC News:

 

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Fabulous support for the demonstration against a change in the law on assisted dying.

Several hundred disabled people and their supporters took turns to demonstrate outside Parliament in 32 degree heat. Some were there all day. Judging by the media coverage it seems that many peers were asked to rethink their position.

Baroness Jane Campbell and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson spoke eloquently and outlined the reasons why so many disabled and vulnerable people are frightened of the proposed change in the law.

Now the dust has settled somewhat Baroness Campbell says,

Good afternoon everyone. I am mentally and physically exhausted today by yesterday’s spellbinding day, which was a privilege to be part of. Firstly, a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart, for all the help and selfless commitment that contributed to our successes yesterday. 

Three weeks ago the majority of the public, media and at seemingly at least 75 % of our parliamentarians in the Lords were supporting in various degrees, an assisted dying Bill. Yesterday, because of our honest and thoughtful arguments against a change in the law, we began to throw doubt upon such a profound change, and the debate in Parliament reflected this. It was 50-50. There has also been a shift in the media, which has been dominated by those calling for a right to be helped to die at a time of their choosing. 

Disabled and terminally ill people were absent from the debate – but today we covered the papers with our voice! Far fewer speaking on our behalf about our lives, just our voice.

I cannot tell you how proud I am of disabled people’s Herculean efforts to protest in 32°, many for over nine hours, outside Parliament. Supported by great allies who were happy to step aside and give us the stage, made us feel strong and valued as equal citizens.

 

If you can, take a look at the papers today, you will see a mark of our collective achievements.

 

Please can you forward this message on to all those people you know who contributed to our successes this week. I wish I knew them all personally!

 

Thank you again – disabled people and our non-disabled supporters, all so much”.

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Demo against Falconer’s Bill set to go – 18th July

If you’re on Facebook or Twitter you must have noticed the flurry of activity coming out of the Not Dead Yet (UK) campaign team. Fantastic effort by all concerned. Given the forces ranged against us we have managed to hold our own. Regular appearances on TV and Radio plus the printed media and major interest through our Facebook group. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/233048330220108/)

We know that Dignity in Dying will not go away whatever happens with the vote in the House of Lords on the 18th so we will continue to need every ounce of support you can provide.

The more of you that publicly condemn the proposal to change the law on assisted suicide the better. Here’s some ammunition from Oregon which clearly shows what happens when you pass a law that allows you to kill people.

Ten Years of Assisted Suicide in Oregon

 

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Support Not Dead Yet UK Demonstration against Lord Falconer’s Bill 18th JUly 2014

Lord Falconer has resubmitted his bill to change the law on assisted dying. It will be debated in the House of Lords on the 18th of July. Not Dead Yet UK and several other supportive disability organisations are planning to lobby peers to ensure this bill is defeated.
We intend to gather in the lay-by (almost) opposite the Peers’ Entrance Palace of Westminster between 9:30am and 3:30pm on the 18th of July.
We will be wearing black and red if you can too that would be great.
The key messages we want to get across are
  • We are deeply concerned that a change in the law will lead to disabled people – and other vulnerable people, including older people – feeling under pressure to end their lives.
  • The issue tells us a lot about public attitudes towards disabled people.
  • Why is it that when people who are not disabled want to commit suicide, we try to talk them out of it, but when a disabled person wants to commit suicide, we focus on how we can make that possible?
  • We believe that the campaign to legalise assisted suicide reinforces deep-seated beliefs that the lives of sick and disabled people are not worth as much as other people’s. That if you are disabled or terminally ill, it’s not worth being alive.
  • Disabled people want help to live – not to die.
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Lord Falconer’s Bill published

Lord Falconer’s Bill has been published as have the Explanatory Notes to the Bill.

Second Reading of the Bill is scheduled for Friday 18th July.

 

 

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/lbill/2014-2015/0006/15006.pdf

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/lbill/2014-2015/0006/en/15006en.pdf

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