As a campaigning organisation, CNK is not a charity, but relies entirely upon our member organisations and the generosity of concerned individuals like you.
Our Track Record includes organising public events, media campaigns, letter-writing campaigns, petitions, parliamentary briefings, polls and educational symposia. Successful outcomes include
- 2005-06 Lord Joffe's Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill defeated 148-100
- 2009 Lord Falconer's Coroners and Justice Bill amendment defeated by 194-141
- 2010 Margo MacDonald's End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill defeated 85-16
- 2010-12 Falconer Commission on Assisted Dying - biased report exposed and neutralised
- 2006-14 Successful resistance to changes to the BMA, RCP and RCGP stances opposing assisted suicide
- 2012 CNK hosted the first European Symposium on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, bringing together campaigners from around the world
- 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 commissioned polling of the 2010 Commons, suggesting 2-1 opposition among MPs
- 2013 CNK funded launch of Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Europe
- 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
- 2014-15 Pro-assisted suicide measures defeated in the Manx House of Keys and Welsh Assembly
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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 (ongoing), consulted their members. Opposition remained the most favoured stance for RCP and RCGP members, the latter reaffirming its opposition in February 2020
Medical organisations: Advocates of legal change have been clear that neutralising medical opinion is vital to their cause, and the British Medical Association's stance on the issue will be the subject of debate, informed by the results of its unprecedented 2020 membership consultation, at its 2021 Annual Representative Meeting.
Holyrood bill: five years on from the overwhelming defeat of Margo MacDonald's bill (the Harvie Bill), favourable MSPs are organising, in conjunction with campaign groups, in support of a new bill. Advocates have launched a high profile campaign, seeking to persuade MSPs by highlighting hard cases.
Westminster: calls for an official review of the law on assisted suicide have been rumbling since mid-2019, with MPs breaking cover in Autumn 2020 to discuss openly the bringing of a new bill in the current Parliament.
Courts: proponents' immediate response to the informed and considered rejection of the Marris Bill was to threaten new legal challenges, and they openly advertised for terminally ill individuals to 'get involved'. CNK intervened in the subsequent case of Noel Conway, at the High Court and Court of Appeal, both of which dismissed his application for a declaration of incompatibility between the Suicide Act and the ECHR before the Supreme Court declined to hear a further appeal in November 2018. In a less welcome development, the Supreme Court ruled in 'Y' that clinically assisted nutrition and hydration could be withdrawn from patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness where doctors and families agreed, without recourse to the Court of Protection; the ruling influenced new, troubling guidance from the BMA.
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 the Low Countries. The reality of such places' experiences must continue to be presented.
Care Not Killing consistently achieves far more than its resources warrant: our principal costs are the salaries of two full-time, paid employees; rental costs for our London office; and media support. Other costs include internet support, design work, accountancy fees, travel expenses, 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 spokespeople, AV technical support, material costs relating to public events (rallies) and incidental administrative assistance.
The appointment of our first full-time CEO, following the departure in December 2018 of our pro bono, part-time Campaign Director, presents an opportunity to develop our work - but this requires substantially increased funding. We punch well above our weight, but we need your support.
You can use the form below to donate to the work of Care Not Killing. Individual donations of any size are greatly appreciated; commitments to regular giving help to secure our funding base still further. Thank You.
If you would prefer, you can post a cheque (made out to CNK Alliance Ltd) to Care Not Killing, 6 Marshalsea Road, London, SE1 1HL. Please includes contact details if you wish your gift - for which we thank you - to be acknowledged. If you would like to discuss alternative means of donating, do please get in touch.
