QUENTIN LETTS: Something ominous was in the air, and possibly soon in your veins...
It was that sort of a day. Jangling. Something ominous in the air.
And possibly soon in your veins.
Four hours' talk of death made for an incongruous Friday this flaming June. Outside, the blessings of creation twinkled under a blue sky. Inside the chamber, MPs anguished over death-bed agonies and the prospect, some feared, of disabled or anorexic patients being hastened to their Maker.
The state would now 'exercise power over life and death', said Tom Tugendhat (Con, Tonbridge). Supporters of the Bill heckled him. But he was only reflecting the reality if this Bill is passed by the Lords. The Upper House may disagree. The majority of 23 felt slender. Brexit had a majority of over a million and the Lords did its best to kibosh that.
Chi Onwurah (Lab, Newcastle C) noted that private companies, as well as the state, would now be able 'to kill citizens'. My dears, we're going private for Grandpa. So much quicker, and they'll play Vivaldi's Four Seasons to muffle the sound of his death rattle.
Ms Onwurah's was one of three or four speeches that appeared to start with one position and concluded with the opposite. The debate drifted like seaweed.
A strong speech for choice from Kit Malthouse (Con, NW Hants) would be balanced by an affecting plea from Jen Craft (Lab, Thurrock) to think of pressure being placed on disabled people. Ms Craft has a daughter with Down's syndrome.
Kim Leadbeater (Lab, Spen Valley) was her usual chirpy self as she moved her private Bill. She bounced about, grinned exhaustingly and said 'this is a robust process!' and 'take back control of your dying days!' Death by exclamation mark.
There was a dissonance between her bleak obsession and this Butlin's redcoat persona. Ken Dodd playing an undertaker.
One eloquent supporter of her Bill was Peter Prinsley (Lab, Bury St Edmunds), a doctor with 45 years' experience. He and John McDonnell (Ind, Hayes & Harlington) lent welcome age to that side of the argument. Others throbbed with the certitude of youth and, one fears, the naivety of new MPs yet to learn how officialdom mangles noble legislative intent.
A former NHS manager, Lewis Atkinson (Lab, Sunderland C), insisted hospitals would cope. They always say that. More persuasive support for the Bill came from an intensive-care nurse, Sittingbourne's Kevin McKenna. He had trust in doctors. Do you? After so many NHS scandals?
'I wouldn't put my life, or the life of someone dear to me, in the hands of a panel of officials,' grunted Diane Abbott (Lab, Hackney N). Three times she spoke of 'the vulnerable and marginalised'. But Hanover-born Wera Hobhouse (Lib Dem, Bath) was indignant that constituents had told her that MPs were too stupid to care for the vulnerable. 'Ve haf to educate people!' fulminated Frau Hobhouse.
Sarah Olney (Lib Dem, Richmond Park), shouting like a Sergeant Major, attacked the Bill's workability. Her colleague Luke
Taylor (Sutton & Cheam), not the nimblest of orators, gripped a text of his speech tightly with his thick fingers and deplored 'the status crow'. It was a matter of 'how one might exit this earthly realm', he averred, more Mr Pooter than John Betjeman.
James Cleverly, in the Man From Del Monte's suit, kept touching his heart as he feared money would be diverted from elsewhere in the NHS. We kept hearing the term 'a fundamental change'. When relations were bumped off, would suspicion be seeded? Mark Garnier (Con, Wyre Forest) was pro the Bill but admitted: 'I'm not the world's greatest legislator.' Oh.
The most troubling speech came from a vet, Neil Hudson (Con, Epping Forest).
Having killed many animals, he reported that 'the final act doesn't always go smoothly or according to plan'.
He 'shuddered to think' what would happen when an assisted death turned messy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
28 minutes ago
- The Guardian
NSW faces constitutional showdown as parliament's push to expel convicted rapist Gareth Ward delayed by supreme court
New South Wales politicians are facing a potential constitutional showdown with the state's supreme court over parliament's attempt to expel local MP and convicted rapist Gareth Ward. The Minns government was seeking an urgent hearing in the supreme court on Tuesday with a view to lifting an ex parte injunction granted the previous day to Ward. It prevented parliament, for now, from moving to expel the member for Kiama. Ward commenced the proceedings on Monday night via his lawyers from Silverwater jail, where he has been remanded pending sentencing in September. Ward has said he will appeal his July criminal convictions on three counts of indecent assault and one for sexual intercourse without consent involving two young men in incidents that occurred in 2013 and 2015. The leader of the Legislative Assembly, Ron Hoenig, told reporters that the government did not believe the court had the constitutional power to restrain the parliament or any member from moving a motion in the lower house. However, 'out of respect for the court,' the parliament would apply for a more urgent hearing date, when it would seek to have the injunction lifted. Justice Deborah Sweeney, the duty judge in the supreme court, granted Ward an urgent application for the injunction on Monday night after the government notified the MP and his lawyers of Tuesday's proposed motion to expel him. He was invited to submit any arguments he wished to make. The government did not have an opportunity to make submissions to the court on Monday night. Hoenig said the government's position was that the orders 'have no effect [and] are not binding on the house'. 'The house has an inherent power, in accordance with the constitution, unconstrained by any order. However, because the order has been made by the supreme court of NSW, I have instructed the crown solicitors to approch her honour as soon as possible to reconsider the orders she has made to allow the house to conduct its business … as it has for 169 years,' the leader of the house said. 'The issue is of considerable significance. The house needs to be able to make its [expulsion decision] to protect itself, and we will be making an approach to the judge as early as today.' Hoenig said the scheduled hearing on Friday was too late, as the parliament was due to rise on Friday and would need to be recalled if Ward's injunction was not dealt with more swiftly. The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has made it clear he wants Ward to resign – or the government would remove him via an expulsion motion. 'We've got a week of parliament to sit, and I think that most people would appreciate, it's an unconscionable situation to have someone who's currently sitting in jail in Silverwater, convicted of serious sexual offences, who is demanding to remain a member of parliament and continue to be paid,' Minns told 2GB radio on Tuesday. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Ward's conviction has plunged the NSW parliament into uncharted territory. As an independent member, he has not been under the usual pressure to resign from a political party. Therefore, the parliament is having to rely on a little-used inherent power to protect itself if the conduct of a member would damage the integrity of the parliament and endanger its proper functioning. The government had planned to begin moves to expel him on Tuersday with a vote expected on Wednesday. The opposition leader, Mark Speakman, said the Coalition would support the government seeking Ward's expulsion. 'Every day he clings to his seat from a jail cell, taxpayers are footing the bill, and the people of Kiama are left voiceless. It's not just wrong, it's offensive,' Speakman said on Tuesday. In 2021, Ward left the Liberal party and moved to the crossbench after identifying himself as the state MP under investigation by the child abuse and sex crimes squad of the NSW police force. When charges were laid in March 2022, the then NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, called for his resignation. Later that month, Ward was suspended after a motion unanimously passed the Legislative Assembly. In August 2022, Ward was committed to stand trial. But Ward's voters in the south coast state seat of Kiama re-elected him in March 2023 and he returned to Macquarie Street.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Japan trade negotiator to visit US to press for swift implementation of auto tariff deal
TOKYO, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Japan's top tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said he planned to visit Washington from Tuesday to press the United States to have President Donald Trump sign an executive order to bring an agreed 15% tariff rate on automobiles into effect. The U.S. last month agreed in a trade deal with Japan to lower existing tariffs on Japanese automobile imports to 15% from levies totaling 27.5% previously. Duties that were due to come into effect on other Japanese goods will also be cut to 15% from 25%. "We will push the United States to make sure that an executive order be signed on the agreed tariff on automobiles and automotive components as soon as possible," Akazawa told parliament. Referring to the problem of "stacking" where goods can be affected by multiple tariffs, Akazawa also said Japan wants to make sure that goods that are already levied at more than 15% would be exempt from the additional 15% rate.
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Police warn of mass arrests if Palestine Action protest goes ahead
Police are warning of mass arrests if a protest in support of the banned group Palestine Action goes ahead on Saturday. Hundreds of people are expected to turn out for the demonstration, which is understood to be planned for London. However, the Metropolitan Police said "anyone showing support for the group can expect to be arrested." "We are aware that the organisers of Saturday's planned protest are encouraging hundreds of people to turn out with the intention of placing a strain on the police and the wider criminal justice system," said a spokesperson. The organisers, a pressure group called Defend Our Juries, denied their protest will try to overwhelm the police and justice system. "If we are allowed to protest peacefully and freely, then that is no bother to anyone," said the group in a statement. 1:29 Palestine Action was banned under terrorism laws after two aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton on 20 June. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the vandalism of the planes was "disgraceful" and accused the group of a "long history of unacceptable criminal damage". The ban means membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. More than 200 people supporting the group were arrested at Defend Our Juries protests across the UK last month, many of whom held placards with the message: "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action." Downing Street has urged people not to attend this weekend's protest. It comes after around 40 people gathered outside Labour HQ on Monday to protest the party's stance on Gaza. They were watched by a small group of police officers as they chanted phrases including: "Shame on Keir Starmer, shame on the Labour Party, shame on David Lammy." Separately, the Board of Deputies of British Jews has also confirmed it will protest this weekend, with community organisations marching through central London to Downing Street on Sunday. They are calling for the government not to recognise the state of Palestine without all hostages taken by Hamas being released. Last week, Sir Keir Starmer said he planned to recognise Palestine by the UN General Assembly meeting in September, unless Israel met certain conditions including agreeing a ceasefire and improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
