Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, has committed to hold a vote on assisted dying in the next parliament. Humanists UK welcomes this pledge which, if fulfilled, could pave the way for legalising assisted dying by the end of the decade.
He made the commitment when speaking with broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen, who has stage four cancer and recently announced she was a member of the Swiss assisted dying centre Dignitas.
Sir Keir told Esther: ‘I’m personally in favour of changing the law… I think we need to make time. We will make the commitment. Esther, I can give you that commitment right now.’
He had previously committed a free vote for Labour MPs and parliamentary time for assisted dying. His latest remarks go a step further, indicating this would happen at in the first term of a Starmer government.
When pressed if the Labour leader would want a vote to take place during the next parliament, Sir Keir replied: ‘Oh yes, definitely. I think Esther would agree with this.
‘For people who are going through this or are likely to go through it in the next few months or years, this matters hugely and delay just prolongs the agony.’
Nathan Stilwell, Assisted Dying Campaigner for Humanists UK, said:
‘This is huge news. Realistically we could expect assisted dying to be legalised within this decade. Last time there was a vote on assisted dying, more Labour MPs voted in favour than against. If the next parliament is as predicted going to be younger, more liberal, and less religious, we have every reason to be hopeful that legislation will pass.’
‘Right now, we have a barbaric system that forces certain individuals to suffer, even though countries like Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands have had working, safe and compassionate assisted dying laws for decades. Adults of sound mind who are intolerably suffering from an incurable, physical condition, and have a clear and settled wish to die should have the option of an assisted death.’
Key debates and votes on assisted dying are expected in Scotland, Isle of Man and Jersey this year. The Health and Social Care Committee’s inquiry into assisted dying recently published its final report, which said that assisted dying law may soon diverge across British Isles and that the government will need to act on this matter.
Humanists UK campaigns for a humane law with robust safeguards so that terminally ill and incurably suffering people can freely choose when and how they die, if and when they should decide their suffering is too great to bear, and once palliative care options have been tried and exhausted.
If you are struggling to cope, please call Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK and ROI) or contact other sources of support, such as those listed on the NHS Help for suicidal thoughts webpages. Support is available round the clock, every single day of the year, providing a safe place for anyone struggling to cope, whoever they are, however they feel, and whatever life has done to them.
Notes
For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Assisted Dying Campaigner Nathan Stilwell at press@humanists.uk or phone 07456 200033.
If you have been affected by the current assisted dying legislation, and want to use your story to support a change in the law, please email campaigns@humanists.uk
Read six reasons we need an assisted dying law.
Read our summary of the assisted dying inquiry report.
Read more about a decade of campaigning for the legal right to die – at home and abroad.
Read the ONS study on suicides among people diagnosed with severe health conditions.
Read more about our campaign to legalise assisted dying in the UK.
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