Priest denies MP holy communion over his support for assisted dying bill

Chris Coghlan, the Liberal Democrat MP for Dorking and Horley, condemned what he called "outrageous" behaviour by the priest after he voted in favour of the bill.

The priest contacted Mr Coghlan in the days running up to the vote and told him he would be "obstinately persevering" in sin if he chose to back Kim Leadbetter's bill.

He added that he would deny Coghlan communion if he did so.

Vane, the priest at Coghlan’s local church, St Joseph’s Catholic church in Dorking, Surrey, told the MP that “as priests, we are custodians of the sacraments.”

It's now understood that the MP has now complained to Richard Moth, the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton.

Taking to X, Mr Coghlan said that his priest had "publicly announced at every mass" that he was going to deny the MP Holy Communion "following the assisted dying vote".

He added that the service included "children who are friends of my children were there" and followed a "direct threat in writing to do this four days before the vote".

Despite the priest's threat, Coghlan voted in support of the bill, which passed with a majority of 23 in the House of Commons on June 20.

Two days after the vote, Vane told the congregation at an 8am mass that he would be refusing the MP communion because of his vote.

The announcement was also voiced at a second 10am mass in front of around 150 parishioners.

Coghlan attended neither service but was told of the announcement by neighbours.

Voicing his concerns over the incident, the MP said on Sunday: "Although he made no reference to it, this priest is also well aware that he is responsible for signing off my children’s education forms for the Catholic state school they attend.”

“It is completely inappropriate,” Coghlan said, adding: “It undermines the legitimacy of religious institutions in this country if representatives think it is acceptable to try to coerce members of parliament.”