The Edition: Easter special – assisted dying, ‘bunny ebola’ & how do you eat your creme egg?

Apr 17, 2025

Dan Hitchens, a writer for The Spectator, is joined by Reverend Fergus Butler-Gallie to discuss the contentious Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. They explore the ethical dilemmas surrounding assisted dying and its potential effects on vulnerable groups. The conversation shifts to a concerning rabbit pandemic, Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease, impacting wildlife and ecology. Lastly, they engage in a light-hearted debate over Cadbury Crème Eggs, discussing how personal preferences and nostalgia shape our taste for these iconic treats.

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INSIGHT

Bill's Huge Social Shift

The assisted dying bill represents a huge social shift, changing the State and NHS role to facilitate assisted suicide in certain conditions.
This raises serious concerns for vulnerable groups including the disabled and mentally ill, with safeguards under scrutiny.

INSIGHT

Cultural Divide On Death

The bill exposes a societal divide about how we view death, illness, and the worth of life.
Its passage could redefine national values on preserving life and the legal approach to vulnerable people.

INSIGHT

Medical Groups Oppose Bill

Two major medical bodies oppose the bill, emphasizing improving palliative care over legalizing assisted suicide.
The bill could change NHS laws and potentially force hospices to provide assisted deaths, impacting healthcare identity.

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This week: should the assisted dying bill be killed off?

Six months after Kim Leadbeater MP launched the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a group of Labour MPs have pronounced it ‘irredeemably flawed and not fit to become law’. They say the most basic aspects of the bill – having gone through its committee stage – do not hold up to scrutiny. Dan Hitchens agrees, writing in the magazine this week that ‘it’s hard to summarise the committee’s proceedings except with a kind of Homeric catalogue of rejected amendments’ accompanied by a ‘series of disconcerting public statements’.

With a third reading vote approaching, what could it tell us about the country we live in? Dan joins the podcast alongside the Revd Fergus Butler-Gallie, who provides the Spectator’s diary for the week. (1:34)

Next: where are all the rabbits?

If you’ve noticed fewer rabbits across the countryside that might be due to a killer pandemic that has appeared on Britain’s shores. Henry Williams raises awareness in the magazine this week about Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD), which has a mortality rate of between 70 and 100% and has already left rabbits endangered in countries like Spain. The disease can kill suddenly and is particularly prolific within wild rabbits, which are less likely to be vaccinated than household pets. How concerned should we be? Henry joined the podcast to discuss. (20:56)

And finally: are creme eggs delicious – or disgusting?

‘How do you eat yours?’ asks the famous Cadbury's advert for creme eggs. James Innes-Smith, writing his notes on creme eggs in the magazine this week, responds ‘stamping on them in disgust’. James might not be a fan but most of the British public are – over 220 million of them are sold in the UK each year. Even more astonishing given they’re only available to buy for a third of the year. Why are they loved so much? James joined the podcast alongside The Guardian’s Lucy Mangan, who makes the case for creme eggs. (27:09)

Presented by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.