UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Labour MP Kim Leadbeater pushes for a fair debate on her assisted dying bill, urging MPs not to stall it with amendments while defending the proposed changes.
Kim Leadbeater, who proposed the assisted dying bill, has pleaded with opponents not to derail the legislation with revisions ahead of Parliament’s final vote.
What concerns did Kim Leadbeater raise about MPs delaying her bill?
During an interview with The Independent following a tough first week of intense scrutiny on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, Ms Leadbeater stated,
“What I wouldn’t want to see would be that people do try and put so many amendments in that we don’t end up getting to third reading. But most MPs I’ve spoken to this week understand the parliamentary process.”
Referring to the importance of early discussions, she said,
“Having the discussions early on the big points, like capacity, which we did, that’s really important, so we need to dedicate sufficient time to it. The bill committee are taking it extremely seriously.”
The MP came under heavy criticism for her most significant revision to the bill, which removed the requirement for a High Court judge to review applications and replaced it with a non-judicial panel.
She said,
“I think with those MPs who have genuine concerns, including me, we’ve got to get it right.”
She insists that the commission offers a “stronger” safeguard, potentially involving two judges instead of one. Ms. Leadbeater also asserts that a significant number of her colleagues back the modification.
However critics warn that this amendment, one of 87 tabled by the MP would allow cases to heard in secret, be able to stop family members attending hearings and have no requirements to hear dissenting voices. Further problems, highlighted by experts suggest the panel could be made up of people in favour of assisted dying, appointed by an official dubbed a ‘death tsar’ with little or no independent scrutiny of the process.
How did Kim Leadbeater respond to concerns raised by fellow MPs?
Ms Leadbeater says she recognized the fear of the potential coercion of vulnerable individuals. However, she warned that the current framework, which allows people to travel to Switzerland for assisted dying without regulation, creates a significant risk of exploitation and mistreatment.
She stated,
“You’ve got people now who are terminally ill who are taking their own lives,” adding, “You’ve got people going to Dignitas, and we have no idea whether they’ve been coerced into it.”
She has challenged the necessity of exempting diseases like diabetes from assisted dying legislation, arguing for a reconsideration of the criteria used in such decisions.
The Labour MP has also been challenged on pro-assisted dying bias among the witnesses in the committee hearings, which compared to those against it or neutral. The controversy extended to the exclusion of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, which Ms Leadbeater had initially refused to hear, despite the importance of being able to assess a person mental capacity and motivation for wanting to end their lives, even voting against allowing their inclusion among the witnesses.
Critics of the legislation also point out the refusal to hear evidence from Canada, which legalised assisted dying in 2016.
How many readings has Kim Leadbeater’s bill passed?
Kim Leadbeater won the second reading debate, but she is aware that 71 MPs cast their votes only to extend the debate, with their final decision to come until the third reading vote in April or May.
A total of 81 MPs, including Ms Leadbeater, pointed out the High Court judge safeguard as a persuasive factor for their vote in favour of the bill, helping her secure a 55-vote majority in the second reading.
The Spen Valley MP stated that some who back assisted dying argue she is “making it harder” for individuals seeking to end their lives, and she has rejected proposals to extend the eligibility period from six months to 12 months.
What changes have been made to the assisted dying legislation?
Recent amendments to the Bill include creating a panel to review applications for assisted death, replacing the High Court, and providing an option for a refusal to be reconsidered by a separate panel.
The panel will might include a psychiatrist, a social worker, and a legal expert, such as a lawyer, judge, or an individual who has held a senior judicial position, to approve assisted death requests. However the changes have been branded unworkable by both legal experts and psychiatrists.
What did critics say about the proposed amendments?
The head of Care Not Killing, Dr Gordon Macdonald, criticized the amendments, stating it raised serious concerns due to the “lack of clarity about the accountability and reporting structures” for the new commission and panels.
Danny Kruger, a committee member reviewing the assisted dying bill, has expressed objections to the suggested changes, adding, “The new plan removes the judicial safeguard, replacing it with a private panel that approves based on capacity, without involving the patient or family.”
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will undergo a detailed review by a committee of 23 MPs, ahead of its return to the House of Commons for further debate and a vote, likely to take place in April.