Lib Dem MP complains that he is denied communion after Assisted Suicide vote

An MP has complained that his Catholic priest is denying him communion after he voted in favour of Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

Chris Coghlan, who has been the Lib Dem MP for Dorking and Horley since 2024, had been warned by his priest about the consequence of his actions should he support the Bill, but said that he voted in accordance with his conscience.

He then complained about his treatment when the priest followed through, saying that the vote had been in breach of Canon law. Mr Coghlan said that the action was “an attempt to coerce a Member of Parliament in their voting intention.”

Mr Coghlan seemed to be surprised that he was disciplined by the church, and was keen to suggest that his religion made no difference to his role as an MP, posting on the social media platform X:

“It is a matter of grave public interest the extent to which religious MPs came under pressure to represent their religion and not necessarily their constituents in the assisted dying vote…This was utterly disrespectful to my family, my constituents including the congregation, and the democratic process. My private religion will continue to have zero direct relevance to my work as an MP representing all my constituents without fear or favour.”

The Catholic church has taken a strong position against the Assisted Suicide Bill. Earlier this year, the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Nichols, wrote to Catholics across the UK urging them to oppose the Bill:

“As I have made clear earlier in this debate, as Catholics we have maintained a principled objection to this change in law recognising that every human life is sacred, coming as a gift of God and bearing a God-given dignity. We are, therefore, clearly opposed to this Bill in principle, elevating, as it does, the autonomy of the individual above all other considerations.”

Other denominations have also spoken out against the Bill, including the Church of England. The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, recently commented:

“If enacted, this legislation would come into force amid serious shortfalls in adult social care, a post code lottery in palliative care and well documented pressures on the NHS, multiplying the potential risks to the most vulnerable. It does not prevent terminally ill people who perceive themselves to be a burden to their families and friends from choosing ‘assisted dying. And it would mean that we became a society where the state fully funds a service for terminally ill people to end their own lives but shockingly only funds around one third of palliative care.”