TERMINALLY ill patients are forced to endure a “horror show” and should be free to die with dignity, a senior Tory MP insisted today.
Ahead of an historic vote in the Commons tomorrow, ex-minister Kit Malthouse issued an emotional last-ditch plea for colleagues to support the assisted dying Bill.
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On Never Mind The Ballots, Mr Malthouse revealed he has first-hand experience spending time with dying Brits who suffer from “agony” and “pain”.
He argued the sick are increasingly turning to “violent” attempts at suicide because they can’t access a compassionate and regulated route to end their life in peace.
The top Tory said: “Over the last decade campaigning over this issue I’ve spent a lot of time with dying and bereaved people, and I’ve seen the horror show that people go through in the current status quo.
“We’ve got 650 people or so a year killing themselves in violent, brutal ways.
“There’s one person a week going to Switzerland to kill themselves who can afford it.
“We have a duty as a government to step in and regulate this, supervise it, bring safety for those people who are facing agony at the end of their lives.”
Mr Malthouse clashed with fellow senior Tory MP Danny Kruger, who told Never Mind The Ballots he is opposed to the assisted dying bill, introduced by backbench Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, because it doesn’t contain strong enough safeguards.
Mr Kruger also argued that the state should not be allowed to decide that “some people are better off dead” and added he’s concerned the NHS will encourage people to die early to prevent “bed blocking”.
He said: “I don’t think the Bill is drafted with sufficient safety and rigour to ensure that people who none of us would really expect to qualify for it would nevertheless be able to get this assisted death.
“That’s what happens around the world – people with eating disorders, with diabetes, with really treatable conditions are able to qualify because the concept of a terminal illness is so elastic.
“I’m also worried this will become something that the NHS wishes to do.
“If the NHS was worried about bed blocking, worried about the enormous expense that people have at the end of their lives in hospital (they could) be putting people onto this pathway to an assisted death.”
Assisted Dying Bill – what you need to know
WHAT IS HAPPENING?
On Friday MPs will vote on a Private Members’ Bill, introduced by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, to give terminally ill adults in England and Wales the right to an early death.
MPs from all parties have been given a “free vote” on the matter, meaning they will not be ordered by party whips to take a specific stance.
In 2015, the last time MPs voted on assisted dying, Sir Keir Starmer supported changing the law.
But the PM has so far kept quiet on his plan for Friday – though less can be said of his ministers.
Despite being ordered by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to keep opinions quiet, a bitter public row has emerged between top politicians for and against the Bill.
Among those supporting Ms Leadbeater are Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
Those against include Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Deputy PM Angela Rayner and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
If the vote passes on Friday it will proceed to committee and report stages in the Commons, where MPs will get the chance to scrutinise the legislation line by line and table amendments.
The Bill could still be voted down at this later stage, even if it passes tomorrow.
HOW DOES THE BILL WORK?
Currently assisted dying is banned across the UK.
Under Ms Leadbeater’s Bill this would change to allow people an early death if they meet the following criteria:
• Aged over 18, live in England and Wales, have been registered with a GP for at least 12 months
• Mentally fit to make a free and informed choice, uninfluenced by others
• Expected to die within six months
• Made two declarations, witnessed and signed, expressing a desire to die
• Received sign off from two independent doctors and a high court judge
The Bill makes it illegal to coerce a terminally ill person to die.
Anyone found guilty of pressuring someone to do so would face 14 years behind bars.
WHO IS WORRIED AND WHY?
Critics of assisted dying are scared that the most vulnerable in society could be pressured to end their life early.
They fear those with a disability or the elderly would be prime targets for coercion – or could even unfairly convince themselves they are a burden on friends and family.
Paralympian Baroness Grey-Thompsan has said she is concerned that vulnerable Brits could be subjected to “coercive control” and raised doubts about “the ability of doctors to make a six month diagnosis”.
Mr Streeting has insisted Britain’s palliative care system isn’t strong enough to support an influx of people seeking early death.
He’s warned that implementing the Bill could impose a significant financial burden on the NHS.
Then there is the issue of courts. Retired English judge Sir James Munby estimates cases could take up 34,000 hours of court time while there are only 19,000 sitting hours a year.
For that reason, coupled with existing backlogs, Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has opposed the Bill.
HOW WILL PEOPLE DIE IF IT PASSES?
An individual who meets all the criteria set out in the Bill would still have to wait at least 14 days after they receive sign off from a judge.
A doctor would then be allowed to prepare a substance used to end life, but the person must take it themselves.
More than 160 MPs have requested to speak tomorrow in what will be just under five hours of Commons debate time.
A knife-edge vote will then determine whether the Bill proceeds to the next stage on its journey through parliament and possibly into law.
A survey by The Times of 508 MPs, over three quarters of those in the Commons, found that over half plan to vote in favour while 217 are against.
At least 26 MPs are expected to abstain while 140 are undecided or haven’t publicly revealed their view.
A poll by think tank More In Common last week found that two thirds of voters support the concept, with those who have lost a parent most likely to be sympathetic.
But almost three quarters of adults the NHS isn’t in a fit state to provide the service.
The PM, who has previously voiced support for assisted dying, has indicated he will take part in the vote but is yet to reveal which way he’ll go.
Cabinet big beasts opposed to the Bill also include Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Deputy PM Angela Rayner.
In favour are Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.
