CofE spokesman misleads on Today programme

This from philosopher Simon Blackburn (passed on with his permission):

Some of you may have heard on yesterday’s Today programme a C of E
spokesman, George Pitcher, say and repeat that there is no palliative
care in Holland as a result of their legislation on euthanasia. He
was not challenged by the presenter or by Lord Falconer, who is
seeking a change in the law governing assistance (which at present
renders a carer liable to up to 14 years in prison).
For interest, I gave evidence for the BHA to Lord Joffe’s committee
who looked into this matter when he was seeking to change the law in
2004 – 5. I have the extremely thorough and impressive report and
evidence volumes in front of me. The evidence from Dutch professionals
was unambiguous that palliative care increased massively in Holland
from 1995 onwards, and partly as a result of their euthanasia
legislation has continued to develop. Palliative care is not a
speciality in Dutch medicine but is part of all health professionals’
training.

Incidentally. George can be found wriggling about this here – read comments, especially Peter51, to whom George responds by making an irrelevant and (it turns out further down – see Peter51’s response) misleading statement about 1,000 people year being killed against their will in the Netherlands. What a wanker.

P.S. Someone suggested I clarify that the above insult comes from me not S.B. Which of course it does. I don’t normally issue insults – don’t think I ever have on this blog. So the should be taken to indicate just how awful Pitcher’s comments were. But perhaps this was a lapse and he is otherwise an nice, honourable chap. For all I know he is.