UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Labour MP Kim Leadbeater warned MPs that rejecting her assisted dying bill could delay reform for terminally ill patients by another 10 years.
As reported by the Independent, Kim Leadbeater urged MPs to support her assisted dying bill, warning that rejecting it could delay debate for terminally ill adults by another decade.
What did Kim Leadbeater warn about the dying bill?
Ahead of the decisive Commons vote on Friday, Labour’s Kim Leadbeater made a heartfelt appeal. She called on MPs to back her bill and prevent more undignified deaths.
During a press conference, she said,
“If we don’t pass this law tomorrow, it could be another decade before this issue is brought back to parliament.”
Joined by cross-party MPs and campaigners, Ms Leadbeater stated,
“It’s 10 years since we last had a vote. If we leave it now, I worry it could be a heck of a long time. And in that time, how many more stories will we hear like Katie, Pamela, Anil and Sophie.”
When asked about the bill’s chances, she said she was confident MPs would offer strong support.
Ms Leadbeater stated,
“We had a good majority of 55 at second reading, there may be some small movement in the middle, some people may change their mind one way, others may change their minds the other way.”
She added,
“But fundamentally, I do not anticipate that the majority will be heavily eroded. I feel confident we can get through tomorrow successfully.”
What did Sophie Blake say about her fears of dying?
At the briefing, campaigner Sophie Blake, who has spent the last three years living with stage four secondary breast cancer, stated,
“I have come to terms with the fact my life has been shortened and I do not fear death. But I do fear how I will die. The thought of not being able to control my pain and suffering hangs over me.”
She added,
“I want my daughter and my family’s last memories of me to be happy and wonderful times, not being left traumatised by seeing me in agony.”
52 Labour MPs write a letter to delay the vote
The assisted dying bill faced a razor-thin margin, with only a handful of votes expected to decide the outcome. Fifty-two Labour backbenchers pressed Keir Starmer to grant MPs more time for review.
They wrote in a letter,
“This is not a normal Bill. It alters the foundations of our NHS, the relationship between doctor and patient, and it strips power away from Parliament, concentrating it in the hands of future Health Secretaries.”
It added,
“MPs will be arriving at Westminster on Friday morning without sight of the final version of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.”
What did polling reveal about disabled people and assisted dying?
A Whitestone poll commissioned by Not Dead Yet UK found that 60% of participants believe some disabled people could be pressured into assisted suicide. Among disabled respondents, that concern rose to 64%.
The poll also revealed that 57% believe disabled people, lacking proper NHS or social care support, may be more likely to consider assisted suicide. Just 17% disagreed.
Key details about the proposed assisted dying bill
Eligibility criteria
- Must be 18+ (raised from 16 in Scotland’s draft bill).
- Must live in England/Wales (or Scotland for its bill) and be registered with a GP for ≥12 months.
- Terminal illness with ≤6 months life expectancy
- Must demonstrate “clear, settled, and informed” consent, free from coercion, via two signed declarations.
Process & safeguards
- Two independent doctors must confirm eligibility, with ≥7 days between assessments.
- 14-day cooling-off period after approval.
- The patient self-administers the lethal drug (no euthanasia by doctors).
- Coercion is punishable by up to 14 years in prison; healthcare workers can opt out.