We punch well above our weight, but we need your support.

Our Needs

Care Not Killing consistently achieves far more than its resources warrant: our principal costs are staff salaries (two full-time and one part-time); rental costs for our London office; media support; and web design. Other costs include hosting visits from foreign experts, research, accountancy, printing and mailing costs. These stand apart from the many services provided, on account of long-standing relationships developed in the years since CNK was established, without or at greatly reduced charge. These include pro bono legal services, media spokespersons, material costs relating to public events (rallies) and incidental administrative assistance.

The challenges before us

Westminster: Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill cleared the Commons in June 2025, with a reduced majority of 23. Peers granted an unopposed Second Reading (common practice in the Lords) on 19 September, but only after two thirds of speakers criticised the Bill, and its sponsor agreed to a Select Committee.

Holyrood: Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill passed Stage 1 on 13 May, MSPs voting 70-56. There will be further scrutiny in Committee (Stage 2) before the Bill returns to Parliament for Stage 3 debate.

Jersey & the Isle of Man: Bills are under consideration in Jersey (euthanasia and assisted suicide — debate and vote due in January 2026) and the Isle of Man (assisted suicide — passed by Tynwald but still awaiting Royal Assent), “piling on the pressure for MPs in Westminster.”

Medical organisations: Advocates of legal change have been clear that neutralising medical opinion is vital to their cause; it is vital that we help amplify the voices of doctors and nurses opposed to a change in the law – most importantly through the work of our colleagues at Our Duty of Care.

Courts: Care Not Killing recently intervened in a case before the European Court of Human Rights, following fruitful interventions in landmark court cases such as Nicklinson, Conway and Y, and stands ready to do so again.

Foreign laws: The list of jurisdictions which have legalised assisted suicide and/or euthanasia has seen new additions in the US and Australia, while shocking new statistics and stories continue to pour forth from Canada and the Low Countries. The reality of such places’ experiences must continue to be presented.

Past Achievements

Our Track Record includes organising public events, media campaigns, letter-writing campaigns, petitions, parliamentary briefings, polls and educational symposia. Successful outcomes include:-

2024 CNK intervened in Karsai v Hungary at the European Court of Human Rights. Judges ruled that the European Convention does not confer a right to assisted suicide.
2023 CNK funded the visit of world-renowned palliative care specialist Professor Leonie Herx. Prof Herx addressed MSPs at Holyrood, bearing witness to the MAID law’s impact on the vulnerable in her native Canada and warned how the McArthur Bill could lead to similar abuses in Scotland.
2022-23 CNK encouraged encouraged engagement with public consultations run by the Jersey Government, Manx Tynwald and Commons Health Committee, with guides and briefings published for each. The Manx consultation saw (2023) the greater number of respondents reject assisted suicide.
2021 CNK campaigned ahead of the Scottish Parliamentary elections to highlight the danger of a change in the law on assisted suicide, and later in the year co-hosted a webinar for MSPs with Not Dead Yet UK featuring three experts speaking on the Dutch and Canadian experiences, and disability rights.
2019-20 CNK campaigned to persuade doctors to uphold opposition to assisted suicide and euthanasia when the Royal Colleges of Physicians and General Practitioners, and the British Medical Association, consulted their members. Opposition remained the most favoured stance for RCP and RCGP members, the latter reaffirming its opposition in February 2020.
2017-18 CNK intervened successfully in Noel Conway’s attempt at the High Court and Court of Appeal to have the Suicide Act declared incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.
2015 Rob Marris MP’s Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill, the first assisted suicide bill to be debated in the Commons in 18 years, met by a letter-writing and social media campaign, MP briefings and a joint CNK-NDY rally. Defeated 330-118.
2014-15 Patrick Harvie’s Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill confronted with rallies, a petition signed by more than 15,000 and oral evidence in committee. Defeated 82-36.
2014-15 Pro-assisted suicide measures defeated in the Manx House of Keys and Welsh Assembly.
2013-15 Lord Falconer’s revived Assisted Dying Bill ran out of time following letter-writing campaigns and rallies outside Parliament which further cemented links with healthcare professionals, disability activists and faith groups. CNK commissioned or supported commissioning of polls which found that public support falls away when confronted with the realities of assisted suicide.
2013 CNK funded launch of Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Europe.
2012 CNK commissioned polling of the 2010 Commons, suggesting 2-1 opposition among MPs.
2012-14 CNK intervened successfully in court cases of Tony Nicklinson, Paul Lamb and ‘Martin’ at the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
2012 CNK hosted the first European Symposium on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, bringing together campaigners from around the world.
2006-14 Successful resistance to changes to the BMA, RCP and RCGP stances opposing assisted suicide.
2010-12 Falconer Commission on Assisted Dying – biased report exposed and neutralised.
2010 Margo MacDonald’s End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill defeated 85-16.
2009 Lord Falconer’s Coroners and Justice Bill amendment defeated by 194-141.
2005-06 Lord Joffe’s Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill defeated 148-100.

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We punch well above our weight, but we need your support.