Cabinet ministers split on assisted suicide bill

MPs are backing a bill to legalise assisted suicide in England and Wales, with hopes of securing a Commons vote by Christmas.

The bill, introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, will allow terminally ill adults to end their life, but is expected to divide cabinet ministers.

The bill will be subject to a free vote, with some senior minister’s undecided, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has declared his support, calling the current situation "cruel."

However, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood remain opposed, with Mahmood warning of the irreversible nature of such a law, “once you’ve crossed that line, you’ve crossed it forever”.

Business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds has also spoken out against changes saying that he would “really worry about vulnerable people”. With others raising concerns about coercion.

David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, is cautious, fearing it could lead to "legalised murder."

Keir Starmer, while neutral, reaffirmed his commitment to allowing time for a debate and vote, honouring a promise to campaigner Esther Rantzen. He has previously supported changes to the law.

The hospice sector, represented by Toby Porter of Hospice UK, has raised concerns about end-of-life care funding, urging the government to address the crisis before introducing any changes.

“We have a patchwork of providers, a huge dependence on charitable provision, and a hospice funding crisis.

“It’s not for Hospice UK to have a view on whether the law on assisted dying should change. But it’s critical that MPs and others in this debate really understand the context into which assisted dying would in theory be introduced.

“Hospices are cutting back their services and making frontline end-of-life care staff redundant because the funds aren’t there to pay them. We are in crisis, and the government needs to put in place a better funding settlement for the hospice sector.

“The health secretary has himself expressed reservations about whether end-of-life care in the UK is in the right state for this change to be made. Whatever is decided, we’d urge the government to act.”

Wes Streeting, though voted in favour of changes to the law in 2015, has this week also expressed his concerns about the state of end-of-life care in the UK, suggesting it is not ready for assisted suicide.

Meanwhile, similar legislation is being considered in Scotland, Jersey, and the Isle of Man.

In 2015, a similar bill was defeated in Parliament by 330 votes to 118. Leadbeater’s bill is expected to build on a previous proposal by Labour peer Lord Falconer, whose own assisted dying bill will be debated in the House of Lords next month.