Debate around Coronation Street Haley’s death

I found it very touching and very believable.

There is of course a serious reason for my letter – euthanasia.

I am sure there will be many readers who feel it should be legal, not only to choose the time of their own death, but to protect anyone who assisted in the death from prosecution.

Anyone who has had to watch a loved one die in unbearable pain, or seen a once strong parent slowly fade away, not knowing their spouse, their children or grandchildren, could easily fall into the trap of supporting a change in the law.

The big danger with making assisted suicide legal is how it would be abused – and I say, would be, and not could be – with the advantage of seeing the way the 1967 Abortion Act, which was meant for extreme cases, has now evolved into abortion on demand.

In the same way, if mercy killing was made legal, it would be restricted to certain illnesses or conditions at first, but it would only be a question of time before more, then even more cases would be recognised as meeting the criteria.

We just can’t let assisted death become the normal way of ending life. The law must not be changed, because even if it was changed for the best of intentions, it would be the thin end of the wedge, leading to a policy of euthanasia, when once a useful life has started to be a burden on society, forced death would be the only option.

DAVID HONEYBELL

New North Road

Heckmondwike