Edward Leigh MP Believes Euthanasia Is An 'Encouraged Exit'

Local Parliamentarian, Edward Leigh MP, has said he believes any moves to introduce euthanasia would result in an 'encouraged exit.'

The Conservative MP has rejected calls for assisted dying, or euthanasia, to be introduced for the sick and elderly during a debate on care for the dying. Mr. Leigh said:

"There is no doubt in my mind that, if we allow assisted dying, it will eventually become encouraged exit. 

"One of the witnesses to the Falconer inquiry said: 'I think we can only go for terminal illness at the moment, so this doesn't actually apply to the people who are probably about to go into care homes. But, you know, baby steps'. That is a chilling statement. 

"To us, this is a moral issue. We believe that the body is simply the mirror of the soul, and however old, crippled or useless someone might seem to society – our society seems to be dominated by the worship of youth and beauty – they are of immense value to society and should be sustained by society to the very end of their lives."

Abortions in Lincolnshire Have Risen in Past Six Years

There has been a eighteen per cent hike in the number of abortions carried out in Lincolnshire within six years the Lincolsnhire Echo reports today.

The figures for show that there were 1,645 terminations paid for by NHS Lincolnshire in 2008 compared to 1,392 in 2002. And for the past three years where statistics are available, there has been a steady rise with 1,459 county abortions in 2006, 1,593 in 2007 and 16,45 in 2008.

Lincolnshire bucks the trend with the number of abortions nationally falling by 1.6 per cent from 2007 to 2008.

The paper report that Dr. David Baker, a local general practitioner and Lincolnshire representative for the British Medical Association, said it is difficult to interpret the Lincolnshire statistics but he feels that the stigma surrounding terminating a pregnancy is reducing.

"I don't know whether more people are using abortion as a contraceptive technique which is obviously not advisable or maybe terminations are more readily available."

"One has to be careful not to seem to be preaching but it is not a risk free procedure and prevention beforehand is much better than the emotional trauma afterwards."