ComRes finds seven out of ten MPs refusing to back calls to legalise assisted suicide

By Paul Goodman
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That's the headline finding from a ComRes poll commissioned by Care Not Killing.  Here are some other ones and more details:

• "29 per cent of parliamentarians back moves to introduce assisted suicide, while 59 per cent were opposed and 12 per cent were undecided."

• "More than seven out of ten MPs (72 per cent) felt that if doctors were allowed to prescribe lethal drugs to patients on request, vulnerable people could feel under pressure to opt for suicide."

• "58 per cent of those surveyed said legalising assisted suicide in the current economic climate would increase the risk that vulnerable people would opt for suicide so as not to be a financial burden upon loved ones."

I'm curious to know what the Conservative findings are, but Care Not Killing is leading with the Liberal Democrat numbers, since the party's coming conference may consider the issue.

One of Care Not Killing's three main aims is "to ensure that existing laws against euthanasia and assisted suicide are not weakened or repealed"

So it looks as though Anna Soubry, the new Health Minister, will have her work cut out if she wants to change the law.  ComRes surveyed more than 150 MPs.