UK – Palliative Care Minister Stephen Kinnock supports the legalization of assisted dying, mentioning its potential to improve end-of-life care, despite opposition from Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock has announced he will vote in favour of the assisted dying bill next week, arguing it is a “compassionate” choice and won’t overload NHS palliative care services.
Kinnock’s support for assisted dying bill
Palliative Care Minister Stephen disagreed with Health Secretary Was Streeting’s view, stating there is no conflict between supporting assisted dying and backing hospices.Â
In an interview with ITV News,
I will be voting for the bill on November 29. I don’t think it’s an either/or question on hospices and palliative care, but evidence shows that often countries and places that go with assisted dying actually see improvements in palliative care coming from that.
During the interview, Mr Stephen avoided commenting on whether he thought Wes Streeting was wrong to direct his department to assess the costs of the legislation and its potential impact on NHS services.
He added,
You’re asking me a direct question about my view; I’m giving that to you. I think that assisted dying is the right thing to do from the point of view of compassion,
he said.
Hundreds of people a year are taking matters into their own hands in uncontrolled environments. It’s not safe, it’s not compassionate, and I think it’s also right that people should have the choice to die a good death in the warm embrace of the people that they love.Â
Sir Keir Starmer’s position and upcoming vote
Sir Keir Starmer criticized Streeting for publicly opposing the assisted dying bill after the cabinet secretary had instructed ministers to avoid engaging in the debate.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, currently in Brazil for the G20 summit, has strongly indicated he will vote in favour of the assisted dying bill by pointing out his previous stance during the last polling.
As reported by the BBC News, Sir Keir said,
I have dealt with this … that’s why we must be neutral. That’s why we must have free vote. I’ve talked to all of the cabinet, I do all the time, but the government’s position is neutral. But I don’t want to influence or put pressure on people on this because I think everybody needs to make their own mind up on it. It is a significant issue.Â
He added,
“I dealt with it for five years when I was chief prosecutor, so I saw every single case that was ever investigated, so I know what the issues are. And I also really do appreciate just how strongly people feel. Obviously, people will see the way in which I will vote. I will vote, and I’ve set out my views previously in relation to this”.Â
Wes Streeting’s concerns about Palliative care
Health Secretary Wes Streeting raised concerns last week about the impact of the legalized assisted dying bill on hospice care and asked officials to review the costs of implementing any changes.
Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain the previous month, Wes Streeting said,
I’ve come down this time on voting against the bill on the basis that I worry about palliative care, end-of-life care not being good enough to give people a real choice.Â
He added,
I worry about the risk of people being coerced into taking this route towards the end of their life.Â
In 2015, Mr Kinnock and Mr Streeting both supported the legalization of assisted dying bill when parliament last debated on the issue.
Liz Kendall, the Welfare Secretary in her recent remarks declared her intention to vote in support of Kim Leadbeater’s private member’s bill, while Education Minister Bridget Phillipson has already confirmed that she will vote against it.