Cardinal Vincent Nichols has decried the “deeply flawed process” to legalise assisted suicide as a bill makes its way through the UK Parliament.

Catholics have a “principled objection” to the change in law as every human life is sacred, said Nichols, the archbishop of Westminster.

But he added that there is a fundamental duty to ensure that legislation is “properly scrutinised”.

He said the Bill would “fundamentally change” many of the key relationships in the way of life in Britain, “within the family, between doctor and patient, within the health service.”

“Yet there has been no Royal Commission or independent inquiry ahead of its presentation. It is a Private Member’s Bill. The Bill itself is long and complex and was published just days before MPs voted on it, giving them inadequate time to consult or reflect upon it. The time for debate was minimal. The Committee examining the Bill took only three days of evidence: Not all voices were heard, and it comprises an undue number of supporters of the Bill. In short, this is no way to legislate on such an important and morally complex issue,” the cardinal said.