As someone entitled to vote on the Assisted Dying Bill in the House of Lords on Friday, I have received a great many emails and letters from each side of the argument, in roughly equal quantities.
The first thing worth saying is that they are good letters. Only a few seem formulaic. None is hysterical or accusatory. They often speak from direct experience of the death of people they loved. They show a depth of thought and feeling. At one point, one correspondent (opposed to the Bill) says how important it is, when talking to the very ill, to show “care in listening and discernment”. That advice applies to these letters. They deserve close attention.