There was a debate on ‘assisted dying’ in Westminster Hall. I was only allowed a couple of minutes to speak at the very end. Appropriate, perhaps. What do you say about dying in two minutes? But then we have a lifetime to prepare and only a short time to do it.

We believe that the body is simply the mirror of the soul, and however old, crippled or useless someone might seem to society—our society seems to be dominated by the worship of youth and beauty—they are of immense value to society and should be sustained by society to the very end of their lives.

I said that ‘assisted dying’ could too soon become ‘encouraged exit’ and that we valued old and ill people precisely because of that; because the body was the mirror of the soul and therefore of value whatever its state.

‘They have given David the tens of thousands,’ he said, ‘but we only the thousands; he has all but the kingship now.’

And Saul turned a jealous eye on David from that day forward. [1 Solomon 18:6-9; 19:1-7]

Ah, jealousy: how do we get rid of it? I do not know.