A demonstration ahead of a debate on Britain’s Assisted Suicide Bill has heard calls for better palliative care, and “assistance to live, not to die.”
Meanwhile, campaigners in favour of the law argued for “freedom to choose” and “dignity in dying” as both sides gathered in large numbers outside Parliament.
If the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill for England and Wales becomes law, it would give people, in certain circumstances, the right to choose assisted suicide. The Bill would allow assisted suicide for people who are terminally ill, mentally competent adults with six months or less to live. The vote is said to be “on a knife-edge” this afternoon, with the debate set to conclude at 2:30pm.
Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who brought forward the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, responding to criticism that the debate has been rushed, said on Friday that MPs would be given the opportunity to submit oral and written evidence at future stages of scrutiny if the legislation passes today.
The controversial Bill specifies that doctors can “prepare a medical device which will enable that person to self-administer the substance” and “assist that person to ingest or otherwise self-administer the substance”. The “substance” used is left to ministerial discretion.
The Bill would drive “colossal” social change comparable to that which stemmed from the 1967 Abortion Act.
Labour MP Florence Eshalomi today said she would oppose the Bill, which has received backing from a majority of her colleagues. She cited issues with health inequality, and said that “true compassion should have equality at its heart.”
Further, she called on MPs to recognise “that health inequalities are wide and persistent,” whilst also bringing up her mother being sick, and “not being listened to” when she told doctors, as a sufferer of sickle-cell anaemia, that she needed life-saving medication.
“We should be helping people to live comfortable pain-free lives on their own terms, before making it easier for them to die,” she says.”Freedom in death is only possible if you have had freedom in life.”
Numerous MPs have backed the Bill, while others voiced strong opposition in a series of emotional speeches.
Northern Ireland MP and former leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), Colm Eastwood, has backed the Bill, whilst his colleague Claire Hanna has indicated she will abstain.