MPs to debate assisted dying in bill hailed as 'new hope' by Dame Esther Rantzen

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater volition present a backstage members measure to springiness terminally sick radical 'choice astatine the extremity of life' connected October 16, with a statement expected aboriginal this year

Assisted dying could beryllium made ineligible nether a caller measure to springiness radical a prime astatine the extremity of life.

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater volition present a backstage members measure to alteration the instrumentality connected October 16, with a afloat statement expected aboriginal this year.

The projected authorities would springiness adults nearing the extremity of their lives the powerfulness to take to shorten their deaths if they wish, arsenic good arsenic providing stronger protections some for them and for those they permission behind. Under existing law, relatives who assistance a idiosyncratic extremity their beingness could look up to 14 years successful prison.

Ms Leadbeater said: "I cognize that beingness is precious. But nary 2 people’s lives are the same. What is successful the champion interests of 1 idiosyncratic whitethorn not beryllium close for another.

"I judge that we should each person the close to a bully beingness and, wherever possible, a bully death. Which is wherefore this Bill is astir idiosyncratic prime and autonomy, thing everyone 1 of america deserves."

The Spen Valley MP said she would consult connected the details to guarantee nary 1 is pressured into an assisted decease against their will, and marque definite calls to amended palliative attraction are not undermined. Bills of this benignant seldom go instrumentality without Government support. But Keir Starmer has suggested helium is personally supportive of the move.

The PM promised Dame Esther Rantzen successful September that helium would support his connection to let MPs a escaped ballot connected the issue. Dame Esther is campaigning to legalise assisted dying aft revealing past twelvemonth that she has been diagnosed with signifier 4 lung crab and that she has joined the Swiss Dignitas organisation.

Last month, the PM said: "I gave her (Dame Esther) my connection that we would marque clip for this with a backstage member’s measure and I repetition that commitment. I made it to her personally and I meant it."

Dame Esther Rantzen said she was "thrilled and grateful" astatine the news. She said: "I ne'er thought I mightiness unrecorded to spot the existent cruel instrumentality change. But adjacent if it is excessively precocious for me, I cognize thousands of terminally sick patients and their families volition beryllium fixed caller hope. All we inquire is to beryllium fixed the prime implicit our ain lives."

Assisted dying is treated arsenic a substance of conscience for MPs arsenic it remains divisive, meaning the governmental parties volition not whip them to ballot a definite way. MPs past voted connected a measure connected assisted dying successful 2015, tabled by then-Labour MP Rob Marris. Some 330 MPs opposed changing the law, portion 118 MPs voted successful favour.

A bulk of Brits (71%) enactment changing the law, according to a canvass for the Mirror earlier this year. But opponents reason it could marque susceptible radical consciousness similar they are a load to their families and beryllium hard for doctors who reason the idea.

Dr Gordon Macdonald, main enforcement of Care Not Killing, which opposes a alteration successful the law, said: "I would powerfully impulse the Government to absorption connected fixing our breached palliative attraction strategy that sees up to 1 successful 4 Brits who would payment from this benignant of attraction being incapable to entree it, alternatively than discussing again this unsafe and ideological policy."