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HOWARD'S WAY.... a weekly column from Michael Howard MP
13 October 2005

Last weekend saw yet another terrible natural disaster leading to the loss of thousands of lives. In less than a year we have seen the Tsunami, the hurricanes in the United States, the floods in Central Africa and now the appalling earthquake in Kashmir.

It is easy for us to become immune to these immense tragedies. There is a hidden phrase, “compassion fatigue�, which sums up this reaction. It should be resisted.

We can never forget the bonds which link all of us who share this planet. John Dunne, the English poet who wrote, “No man is an island,� was right.

So I am pleased that British help was on hand quickly to help in Islamabad. I hope that by the time you read this, this and other help will have reached more remote areas. But the loss of life has already been on an immense scale. I am sure I speak for all in Shepway when I say our hearts go out to the families of the deceased and to those who have been injured.

The sanctity of life was the subject of debate in the House of Lords on Monday. Discussions in the House of Commons will follow.

This is one of those difficult ethical issues where people feel immensely strongly on both sides of the argument.

On the one side are those who say that is someone wants to end their life and want a doctor to help, then they should be free to do this.

On the other are those who argue that this would infringe the sanctity of life.

I come down of their side for this reason. Elderly sick people are amongst the most vulnerable in society. If the law were changed they could find themselves under all kinds of subtle pressure to agree to end their lives. And even without any pressure they might feel guilty that they were a burden on their families or event on society at large. So they might convince themselves that they were morally obliged to end their lives.

These pressures are not the hallmark of a civilised society. I do not want them to be part of our society. That is why I shall vote against a change in the law when the Bill comes before the House of Commons.