CARE Press Release - Church urged to pray ahead of Assisted Suicide vote in Commons

Christians are being urged to pray ahead of a crucial vote on assisted suicide in the House of Commons on Friday 11 September 2026.

In the last parliament, Kim Leadbeater MP came top of the private members’ bill ballot, but her assisted suicide Bill ran out of time in the House of Lords.

Despite the raft of sharp and fierce criticism of the Bill from a wide range of stakeholders and medical professionals, in the most recent ballot, Lauren Edwards MP came number two, and she chose to reintroduce assisted suicide legislation.

Her Bill is materially the same as the Leadbeater one which means none of the many and manifold flaws in the Bill have been addressed since MPs last voted on the idea.

There is also the ongoing threat of the Parliament Act being used, which would effectively block the House of Lords from performing its duty and scrutinising the legislation.

When the Leadbeater Bill passed Third Reading in the Commons in June 2025, it did so with a slim majority of just 23 MPs, after many changed their minds between second and third reading.

That means if just 12 MPs switch sides to voting no, and if those who previously voted against keep their position, the Edwards Bill will fall.

The charity CARE today said the Church had a unique and privileged role to play in debates about end-of-life care, by interceding for MPs ahead of a challenging debate and vote.

Traditionally, votes on assisted suicide Bills are conscience issues and MPs are free to vote according to their own desires, rather than following the party whip.

The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham has said he does not think now is the right time for assisted suicide legislation and the focus should be on fixing palliative and social care first.

In response, CARE went further and said that the time would never be right for assisted suicide legislation.

Director of Communications and Engagement at CARE, James Mildred, said:

“Lauren Edwards’ assisted suicide Bill is irredeemably flawed and contains the same raft of errors found in Kim Leadbeater’s Bill in the last parliament.

“As we approach this crucial life and death vote on Friday, I'm thrilled that Christians all across the UK are praying and taking action by engaging with their MP.

“Many churches across England, Wales – where this dangerous legislation would take effect – and across the rest of the UK will be meeting mid-week in small groups and prayer gatherings.

“We are pleading with churches to devote time this week to intercede for our nation and especially to uphold MPs who will be voting on Friday 11 September on the assisted suicide Bill.

“There’s been a lot of talk about this not being the right time for this legislation. We would agree but go even further and say that the time will never be right for assisted suicide.

"God alone holds the power of life and death.

“So, let’s pray that a majority of MPs reject this Bill and that Parliament then engages seriously with the need to fix palliative and social care.

“In order to address the cost issues facing end-of-life care, and the lack of skilled professionals available, there is a huge amount of political will and time needed.

“Palliative care is how we can give dying people real, genuine dignity at the end of their life. That is how we respond with true compassion to hard cases of extreme suffering, which, thankfully, are very rare.

“The Church has an immense privilege of having access to God’s throne of grace, so let’s ask Him for His mercy and pray for our nation that MPs will reject assisted suicide and that parliamentary time will be used to fix palliative and social care services across the nations.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

CARE is a social policy charity bringing a Christian perspective to matters of public policy.

For more information / interview requests: james.mildred@care.org.uk // 07717516814