Latest news with #AssistedSuicideBill
Spectator
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Spectator
Liz Kendall's humiliating welfare climb-down
'This government believes in equality and social justice,' began Liz Kendall. Which government she was describing is anyone's guess. I suspect that if you were to ask the general public what they thought the government believed in, 'equality' and 'social justice' wouldn't even make the top 100 printable responses. The government were facing a backbench rebellion so great that even the cabinet – who, as anyone who has ever seen them give an interview can attest, have an appetite for humiliation which appears to be almost sadomasochistic – were having second thoughts Kendall was at the House for the start of a monumental climb-down: think Hillary and Tenzing in reverse. The hapless one-time leadership candidate was now the face of the Starmer government as it explained why it was backtracking on its flagship welfare reforms. Kendall claimed it was because this Labour government listens. In fact, it was because they were facing a backbench rebellion so great that even the cabinet – who, as anyone who has ever seen them give an interview can attest, have an appetite for humiliation which appears to be almost sadomasochistic – were having second thoughts. The great climb-down was delivered in a sort of identikit motivational speaker voice. Kendall had the general air of someone leading a team ice-breaker exercise for a depressed corporate team at the Best Western off the Reading Ring Road. In a just world, this is exactly what most of her colleagues would be doing. 'We are delivering on our promises' Kendall whirred, all misplaced emphases and faux sincerity. There came a sort of apologia for what the government had done which, though technically delivered facing the Tory benches, was basically directed at the rebels. Kendall referenced what she presumably believes to be government successes. We heard at length and at volume about the 'Right to Try' scheme. This policy which enabled disabled people to try out the world of work is clearly an attempt to produce a catchy title and legacy akin to Thatcher's famous policy. To use a cinematic analogy: this is less an affectionate remake and more like someone filming a blockbuster on a handheld camera at the back of a cinema, with every other scene interrupted by someone going for a pee, and then trying to sell it out of the back of a van. After this bluff came the catering sized portion of Humble Pie. 'We have listened carefully,' Kendall said, 'in particular to disabled people and their organisations'. This must be some new policy on behalf of Kendall since she was one of the core cabinet cheerleaders of the Assisted Suicide Bill, which disabled groups opposed unanimously. The shadow secretary of state, Helen Whately didn't spend long responding to the absurdity of what had just been said. 'Nothing we've seen of Labour over the last few weeks suggests they have the courage and conviction to deal with this problem'. As Donald Trump once said, 'many such cases'. She asked one question of the Secretary of State: how were they going to pay for this? 'I'm in listening mode.' said Kendall in response which actually drew a laugh. She then reverted to an old trick of talking about how awful the Tories had been. For this she got some lukewarm cheers. Behind her, the crocodiles began to circle. This won't be the Starmer government's last cock-up and climb-down, but it might prove to be the first which its obituarists reference as leading to the inevitable.
Spectator
13-06-2025
- Health
- Spectator
Tim Farron, the last of the old-school liberals
Today the Assisted Suicide Bill returned to the House of Commons. Amid its many flaws and complications, perhaps most important is that it marks a landmark change in the state's attitude to the sick, the weak and the vulnerable. Leading the charge for the Bill are many wealthy, privileged liberals in the Esther Rantzen mould who, as they reach the end of lifetimes of total autonomy, cannot countenance the idea that the all-too-human world of pain, inconvenience and constraint might apply to them. This is a problem for one party in particular. Many Liberal Democrats in parliament and elsewhere view themselves as the true champions of the needy or overlooked. Wherever a neglected local library, footbridge or nature reserve stands, there you will find a Lib Dem wanting to bring its plight into the light. Yet there is a curious blind spot – or rather paradox – when it comes to this, perhaps the most important debate of this parliament.
Spectator
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
What the kids get right about the assisted dying bill
The brothers Grimm knew that it sometimes takes a child to call out what grown-ups think but dare not say. Whether it is that the emperor wears no clothes or that our parliamentarians show little compassion, you can count on children to speak the truth. Take the latest report from the Children's Commissioner, Rachel de Souza. Asked about the Assisted Suicide Bill, which reaches report stage this week, the teenage respondents' approach is thoughtful and compassionate. In stark contrast to the shallow and weaselly debate that supporters of the Bill have engaged in, here are 15- and 16-year-olds who address the ethical dilemma head-on, pointing out that the legislation risks making 'some lives more valuable than others'. They ask, 'is life with a disability not worth living?' All share an understanding of the potential for coercion and discrimination inherent in the Bill in its current formulation: 'What if', asks one 16-year-old girl, 'it ends up removing people from society that people don't want in society?' Some of the respondents are disabled themselves, while others have family members who are approaching their end of life.
Daily Record
13-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
What is Assisted Dying and how would a new law work in Scotland?
MSPs will vote on whether the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill should clear its first parliamentary hurdle. Today's landmark vote could see Assisted Dying taking a big step forward to becoming legalised in Scotland. MSPs will be given a free vote on the subject following months of debate. What does Assisted Dying mean? There is some debate over the exact terminology, but Assisted Dying generally refers to a person who is terminally ill receiving lethal drugs from a medical practitioner, which they administer themselves. This differs from Assisted Suicide, which means intentionally helping another person to end their life, including someone who is not terminally ill. That could involve providing lethal medication or helping them travel to another jurisdiction to die. Why do supporters want the law to change? Campaigners argues the law needs changing because some people suffer agonising deaths, however good their end-of-life or palliative care is. The Dignity in Dying campaign group says an estimated 650 people with terminal illnesses already choose to end their lives each year, "often in lonely and traumatic ways". How would the new law work? If passed by MSPs, eligible applicants would have to be resident in Scotland for at least 12 months, as well as be registered with a local GP. Those making the request must be suffering from a terminal illness, but also have the mental capacity to make the request. A patient could only request medical assistance to end their life if they had been ruled mentally fit to make the decision by two doctors. Why are people opposed to the law being changed? There are variety of objections from individuals and organisations on ethical and religious grounds. John Swinney has argued it would "fundamentally alter the relationship between patients and clinicians" and there would be a "real danger of undermining the role we all believe is effectively performed by medical professionals of protecting and enhancing human life". Has this been voted on before? This will be the third time Holyrood has considered the issue. In 2010, MSPs rejected Margo MacDonald's End of Life Assistance Bill by 85 votes to 16. The independent MSP, who had Parkinson's Disease, died in 2014 and the cause was taken up by Patrick Harvie of the Scottish Greens. The following year, his Assisted Suicide Bill was rejected by 82 votes to 36.
The Independent
11-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Kim Leadbeater denies watering down safeguards on assisted dying bill
Kim Leadbeater has insisted that her assisted dying bill is not being watered down after she announced plans to remove the need for a High Court judge to sign off applications. Ms Leadbeater was reacting to a furious backlash to her plans after veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott led calls for the assisted dying legislation to be voted down with the biggest safeguard in the bill set to be removed. Responding to critics on Radio 4's Today programme, Ms Leadbeater said: 'It wouldn't be done in private, it would be taking into account patient confidentiality, but there would be public proceedings. "And, actually, I think it's really difficult to suggest that by having three experts involved in this extra layer of scrutiny that is somehow a change for the worse." Instead, psychiatrists and social workers would be involved in approving applications as part of a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission, under proposals aimed at beefing up safeguards under the new law. The commission would be led by a high court judge or senior former judge who would receive all applications and reports from two independent doctors, which would then be referred to a three-member panel chaired by what has been described as a senior legal figure. Ms Leadbeater said the panel would be 'wholly independent' and would need to be satisfied the decision by the dying person was 'voluntary and not the result of pressure or coercion, and that the person had the capacity to make that decision'. Reacting last night, a number of MPs warned that the changes meant that promised safeguards in the legislation would not be strong enough. The row came after the Law Society also raised concerns over the lack of strength in the original safeguards even before the bill was amended. On X last night, Ms Abbott said: 'Safeguards on the Assisted Dying Bill are collapsing. Rushed, badly thought-out legislation. Needs to be voted down.' Former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron added: 'Lots of MPs voted for the bill at second reading in the expectation that there would be stronger safeguards added at committee stage and yet we now see that even the weak safeguards that existed, are being dropped.' And Tory MP Danny Kruger, who led the opposition at its second reading, said: 'Approval by the High Court - the key safeguard used to sell the Assisted Suicide Bill to MPs - has been dropped. Instead we have a panel, NOT including a judge, of people committed to the process, sitting in private, without hearing arguments from the other side. A disgrace.' In its submission, the Law Society warned the safeguards as originally proposed were not strong enough but had questioned the role of the courts in the original legislation because of an impact on resources. It warned the need for High Court approval and its impact on court resources must be addressed. The Law Society said: 'If Parliament deems this step necessary, then the Bill needs to be clear on how the High Court will deal with the applications and increased workload. Lawyers may have a role in providing advice and representation, in which case legal aid should be made available on a non-means-tested basis.' But it raised concerns about a lack of information required to justify deaths. It added: 'Currently, medical practitioners do not need to provide reasons for their conclusions in statements after conducting assessments. Parliament should consider requiring more information to be recorded, to help the High Court assess whether the scheme's requirements have been met. 'Regulations, codes of practice and guidance on core issues must be publicly consulted and published before any changes take effect. They should be reviewed regularly to ensure they remain fit for purpose.' Ms Leadbeater is expected to bring forward amendments for a so-called 'judge plus' system, after hearing concerns during expert evidence sessions last month. A group of 23 MPs on the bill committee is preparing to undertake line-by-line scrutiny of the proposed legislation from Tuesday, with the process expected to last weeks. As it stands, the Bill could see terminally ill adults in England and Wales with under six months to live legally allowed to end their lives, subject to approval by two doctors and a High Court judge. Ms Leadbeater had already argued the High Court approval element makes her proposed legislation the strictest in the world. Fears around people feeling coerced into an assisted death have been raised before, during and since the debate around a new law. Among the expert evidence to the committee in January, learning disability charity Mencap warned of the 'extremely risky and dangerous moment' an initial conversation about the option of assisted dying could be. Ms Leadbeater has already shared her proposal that doctors would be required to set out a range of other options available to a patient if they discuss assisted dying. On the latest proposed changes, she said: 'Many of those who gave evidence to the committee, either in person or in writing, recommended an enhanced role for professionals such as psychiatrists and social workers. 'I agree that their expertise in assessing that a person is able to make a voluntary decision free from coercion or pressure, in addition to the necessary legal checks, will make the system even more robust.' Ms Leadbeater said she was also conscious of England's chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty's evidence about keeping safeguards as simple as possible. He told MPs what is not wanted is for a person with a life expectancy of six months to be 'stuck in a bureaucratic thicket'. Ms Leadbeater said the two independent doctors would be required to submit reports to the panel on each person applying to the commission for permission to die. The panel would then decide whether they needed to make further inquiries, including hearing from the dying person, the doctors or anyone else. Ms Leadbeater said the commission would report each year on the number and nature of all applications referred to it, and whether they were approved or rejected. No date has been given yet for the Bill to return to the Commons for further debate by all MPs at the report stage, but it is likely to be towards the end of April.
