UK Catholic leaders welcomed Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s call to strengthen palliative and social care, saying it offers a better path than legalising assisted dying.
Archbishop John Sherrington of Liverpool praised Burnham’s commitment to properly fund end-of-life care ahead of Parliament’s 11 September debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. He urged lawmakers to reject the proposal and instead invest in compassionate care that upholds the dignity of every person.
Burnham, the country’s first Catholic-born prime minister, has often said Catholic social teaching shapes his politics. Catholic charities are now encouraging him to put those values into action by tackling homelessness, child poverty, climate change and global inequality.
CAFOD is calling for the restoration of overseas aid and stronger climate leadership, while Caritas organisations want greater support for vulnerable families, especially children in extreme poverty, and for people experiencing homelessness.
“The issue of overseas aid is critical. We want the aid budget to be restored. For us as Catholics, it’s an expression of our solidarity with our brothers and sisters,” said Neil Thorns, CAFOD’s director of advocacy and education.
Church leaders also urged Burnham to protect the marginalised and build a more humane asylum system.
