Richard and Judy’s death pledge is made with love

“To help the person who means the most to you be free of suffering and pain could there be any more loving action than to help them?”

After 26 years of marriage Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan have decided to make a suicide pact which means they will help each other to end their life if they are suffering.

Richard said he would not hesitate if his wife asked him to give her “a little push over the edge” and Judy said she would do the same.

Now, under the law as it stands a partner can be prosecuted if they help someone to die. So this is a very brave decision by Richard and Judy. They’ve been accused this week by anti-euthanasia campaigners of “promoting suicide”.

So what do you think? Richard’s view is very clear. “For me it would be the locked room, the bottle of whisky and the revolver. I wouldn’t want to mess around.”

Judy was equally forthright. “Stuff it all. We’ve made ourselves give each other a pledge along these lines,” she said.

I think most of us would be willing to help our nearest and dearest cope with the end of life.

It’s very difficult to see the person you love suffering and hard though it is, you might just wish to help them take this last step.

No-one wants to contemplate this decision because it goes against everything we feel about life and love and caring for another human being. But if they are suffering unbearably and that is hard to watch is it really so wrong to gently help them on their way?

I say this now, but I am also aware that if it came to that moment, that decision I may well feel differently.

It takes huge amounts of courage to put your life on the line for someone you love. Some people feel the ‘celebrity status’ of Richard and Judy is unhelpful in the debate about assisted suicide.

So of course in this most personal and delicate situation everyone must think for themselves. But I do admire Richard and Judy for having the courage to state their mind.

Death is one of the no-go areas most of us choose to avoid. We don’t like to voice our thoughts on the subject. But as the spokesperson for Dignity in Dying said last week, “This is a conversation that needs to be had.”

I agree with that. Anything which helps people to think and discuss how they feel about the end of life is helpful.

To help the person who means the most to you be free of suffering and pain could there be any more loving action than to help them?