MPs - Stop slide into mercy killing

They are alarmed at the way the nation is slowly being drawn closer to euthanasia, the intentional ending of a patient's life by act or omission.

They are among an all-party group of 27 MPs taking up the issue.

And they are circulating churches and religious groups in their three constituencies, with information and a letter calling for help to try to stop this dangerous trend.

Bolton North East's David Crausby, South East's Brian Iddon, and West's Ruth Kelly have issued a statement demanding action.

They said: "Quite apart from a constant political campaign to allow doctors to end the lives of patients who are not dying, we have people who are trying to change the law through case law -- that is through court cases -- and we have written to interested people throughout our constituencies to alert them to policies being pursued by the British Medical Association.

"Unfortunately, this is the body most likely to be consulted by the courts as well as by politicians and political leaders."

They said that the campaign is considering whether to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights over two cases, where British judges allowed the withdrawal of food and fluids from patients while acknowledging this would cause death by dehydration and starvation.

They accuse the BMA of producing guidelines on the issue, which "actually recommend that doctors should be allowed to extend the withdrawal of assisted nutrition and fluids from a range of sick and elderly patients (who are not dying) with the aim of ending their lives".

The MPs said guidelines called for doctors to be allowed to cause death by dehydration and starvation, without even the minimal protection of being required to obtain court approval.

It says that despite condemnation by church leaders, the BMA has continued to promote these "destructive policies".

The MPs say: "Although we are convinced that the majority of doctors in this country are conscientious and do not wish to end intentionally the lives of their patients, doctors also have to recognise that what is emerging from the BMA is causing an increasing number of patients to be frightened of their medical practitioners."

They want constituents to raise the issue with their family doctors. Clergy back principle of campaign MANY of Bolton's clergy reacted cautiously to the three MPs' call to arms.

Many also said they had not yet received the letter and were unable to comment.

But many were broadly in favour of the principle behind the MPs' campaign.

The Rev Ian Brown of St Paul's, Halliwell, said: "I am totally in favour of the MPs bringing this into the spotlight. I think the Government is trying to bring euthanasia in through the back door and I support any campaign against it."

The Rev Stephen Neal, of St Matthew's, Bolton, said: "This is not something that you can give an off-the-cuff remark about, but I am happy to put it before the congregation and the Parochial Church Council to get their views."

The Rev David Griffiths, of Christ Church, Heaton, said: "A debate such as this needs to be one that is informed and has understanding. I work with a lot of people at Christ Church who are in the front line of the medical profession and they are people I both respect and trust. I would like to hear their views on this."

The Very Rev Canon William Byrne, of St Thomas of Canterbury, Heaton, said: "I have not received the letter, but in general terms I would be in support of attempts to highlight this issue."

The Rev Martin Cleary, of St Joseph's, Halliwell, said: "I have not had time to read the letter in detail, but I think the MPs are to be supported for putting their heads above the parapet on this one."

And the Rev Gerald Murphy, of St Osmund's, Breightmet, added: "I think we should be very worried about such things as food and fluids being taken from patients who are not dying. We are concerned about life and the preservation of life and I think we would support this."