World Suicide Prevention Day
Debate between Kim Johnson and Liz Twist(2Â weeks, 5Â days ago)
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Liz Twist
I am pleased to hear about that work, and I certainly agree that it is vital that we support all those who are making efforts locally to address the issue of suicide.
Changing the narrative means a conscious, collective shift away from the culture of silence, stigma and misunderstanding that has plagued this subject for generations. It requires us to move towards openness, empathy and genuine support, to create an environment where people feel able to speak openly about their distress without fear of judgment. We must reach a point at which talking about suicidal thoughts is met with compassion rather than fear and where seeking help is viewed as a sign of strength.
Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)
I thank my hon. Friend for this timely and important debate. The point about changing the narrative is very important. Will she support me in congratulating Alfie’s Squad, who are here today for World Suicide Prevention Day, and all the football clubs, including Everton and Liverpool, for the work they do in engaging with people with suicidal thoughts?
Liz Twist
I look forward to meeting Alfie’s Squad later today; they are doing a great job on suicide prevention in my hon. Friend’s area. I will come on to the Premier League shortly.
I turn to the global statistics. The World Health Organisation calls suicide a “major public health challenge” and estimates that it claims the lives of more than 720,000 people every year. In the UK, the latest Office for National Statistics figures show that in 2024 there were 7,147 deaths registered where the cause was recorded as suicide. We know from the data that men account for three in four of those deaths, and that suicide is the biggest single cause of death for men under the age of 50.