Starmer declines to say which way he will vote on assisted dying

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declined to accidental which mode helium volition ballot connected the assisted dying statement adjacent week.

He said helium does not privation to enactment unit connected different MPs by “indicating and adding to the conversation”.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill volition beryllium debated and apt voted connected on November 29, the archetypal Commons ballot on assisted dying since 2015.

On that juncture Sir Keir supported a alteration successful the law, saying during the statement helium had faced prosecution decisions successful scores of assisted dying cases successful his erstwhile relation arsenic manager of nationalist prosecutions.

I’m not going to enactment unit by indicating and adding to the conversation. Obviously, radical volition spot the mode successful which I volition vote

Sir Keir Starmer

On Tuesday, helium was asked by the BBC whether helium is going to ballot successful favour of the projected authorities adjacent week.

He said: “I’m not going to enactment unit by indicating and adding to the conversation.

“Obviously, radical volition spot the mode successful which I volition vote.”

He confirmed this week that helium volition vote, but had not been straight asked whether helium volition enactment oregon reason his enactment workfellow Kim Leadbeater’s Bill.

Speaking successful Rio de Janeiro wherever helium is attending the G20 summit, helium said: “I volition vote, and I’ve acceptable retired my views antecedently successful narration to this.”

He added: “It’s a question of balance, it’s a question of safeguards, but I privation to marque definite that each MP, arsenic they attack that vote, does it lone reasoning astir what they deliberation is the close happening to do.”

The Government is neutral connected the issue, with MPs expected to instrumentality portion successful a escaped ballot – making a determination according to their conscience alternatively than on enactment lines.

Last month, Cabinet Secretary Simon Case said successful a missive that portion “ministers request not resile from antecedently stated views erstwhile straight asked astir them, they should workout discretion and should not instrumentality portion successful the nationalist debate”.

A fig of Cabinet members person already stated their voting intentions erstwhile questioned, with Transport Secretary Louise Haigh and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy saying they volition ballot for the Bill.

Mr Streeting has faced disapproval for his outspoken stance, having asked his officials to transportation retired a outgo investigation of immoderate alteration and suggesting it could outgo the NHS much if a caller instrumentality is brought in.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves past week declined to springiness her view, saying she volition beryllium “looking astatine each the grounds up of the ballot successful Parliament”.

Ms Leadbeater has described her Bill arsenic the astir “robust” successful the world, with “three layers of scrutiny” successful the signifier of a sign-off by 2 doctors and a High Court judge.

It would besides marque coercion an offence with a imaginable punishment of 14 years successful jail.

But absorption campaigners reason concerns stay astir coercion and radical feeling pressured to die.

The Bill, which covers England and Wales, states lone terminally sick adults with little than six months near to unrecorded and a settled privation to dice would beryllium eligible.