UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Labour MP Kim Leadbeater defends changes to the assisted dying bill, insisting safeguards remain strong despite replacing judicial review with an expert panel.
Ms Leadbeater insists her assisted dying bill for England and Wales maintains the world’s strongest protections, even after removing judicial scrutiny, while critics argue that the revision is “rushed and badly thought out.”
What did Kim Leadbeater say about the changes in the assisted dying bill?
Ms Leadbeater’s move to substitute High Court oversight with a panel of a lawyer, psychiatrist, and social worker has raised criticism from MPs who backed the bill on the premise of judicial scrutiny.
She said the amendment was based on expert recommendations, and this would ease the burden on the courts while enhancing safeguards against coercion in assisted deaths.
How will the panel of experts be chosen for assisted dying cases, according to Leadbeater?
According to the Labour MP who proposed the bill, the selection of experts for the panel would be solely based on their expertise, not their stance on assisted dying.
She stated,
“There would be a very strict recruitment procedure for people to sit on these panels, and they would not be there in a personal capacity. They would be there in a professional capacity to do their job.”
Ms Leadbeater justified the timing to amend the bill, stating it was informed by witness testimony. Judges Nicholas Mostyn and Jonathan Sumption argued that the high court was not the right forum for handling these cases.
She said,
“I would say this is exactly what the process is designed to do, and the purpose of having such a comprehensive bill committee procedure hearing from over 50 witnesses,”
adding,
“What’s the point of having witnesses if we don’t listen to them, and we don’t listen to the expertise that they provide?”
What did Conservative MPs say about the proposed changes to the assisted dying bill?
Danny Kruger, a leading critic of the bill and part of the parliamentary review committee, described the revision as concerning.
He stated,
“Why, if this is the plan, why isn’t this the plan that was put to MPs when the whole House of Commons voted it through?”
Mr Kruger pointed out that the bill initially assured safety by involving a high court judge’s approval, ensuring the protection of vulnerable patients, which has now been eliminated.
Neil O’Brien from the Tory party criticized the bill’s revision, stressing that the promised safety measure had been removed before the law was enacted.
How did Labour MPs respond to the revision in the assisted dying bill?
Labour MPs also raised their concerns over the bill changes. One MP, Diane Abbott, who opposed the bill, stated that its safeguards were “collapsing” and described the legislation as “rushed” and “badly thought out,” insisting it should be rejected.
Another MP Florence Eshalomi expressed worries on X, stating, “The key safeguard that was used to persuade MPs who raised valid questions about the bill has now been dropped. To say this is worrying is an understatement. Can they explain why lawyers, psychiatrists & social workers won’t be overwhelmed? Just a farce.”
The key safeguard that was used to persuade MPs who raised valid questions about the bill has now been dropped. To say this is worrying is an understatement.
— Florence Eshalomi MP (@FloEshalomi) February 11, 2025
Can they explain why lawyers, psychiatrists & social workers won’t be overwhelmed? Just a farce. https://t.co/gvtljp9AU0
What did Tory shadow minister Matt Vickers say about changes in the assisted dying bill?
When asked about removing the high court judge from evaluating assisted dying cases, Mr Vickers said that protecting individuals from undue influence is essential, especially in complex conditions where they may be struggling with illness and personal challenges.
The shadow minister stated, “This was meant to be foolproof. It needs to be foolproof because it needs to protect vulnerable elderly people.”
Which MPs are reviewing the assisted dying bill and what were their votes?
On 29 November 2024, the Assisted Dying Bill passed its second reading and is now under committee scrutiny, where MPs conduct a detailed review and suggest changes before it returns to the House for further debate.
Here’s the list of MPs who voted for the bill:
- Kim Leadbeater, Labour (also the bill’s sponsor)
- Bambos Charalambos, Labour
- Marie Tidball, Labour
- Dr Simon Opher, Labour
- Jake Richards, Labour
- Rachel Hopkins, Labour
- Lewis Atkinson, Labour
- Kit Malthouse, Conservative
- Neil Shastri-Hurst, Conservative
- Tom Gordon, Lib Dem
- Sarah Green, Lib Dem
- Liz Saville-Roberts, Plaid Cymru
MPs on the committee who voted opposed the bill:
- Naz Shah, Labour
- Juliet Campbell, Labour
- Danny Francis, Labour
- Sojan Joseph, Labour
- Jack Abbott, Labour
- Sean Woodcock, Labour
- Danny Kruger, Conservative
- Rebecca Paul, Conservative
- Sarah Olney, Lib Dem
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock and Justice Minister Sarah Sackman are representing the government’s stance in the committee.