Assisted Dying Bill: Archbishop of York says 'no' as MPs weigh up their consciences

Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP for Spen Valley, will formally introduce her Bill on Wednesday in the House of Commons ahead of a debate and first vote in November.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer committed to giving time for a debate to assisted dying campaigners ahead of the General Election, and Ms Leadbeater was persuaded to use the topic as the focus for her Private Member’s Bill, which she won the right to introduce through a ballot process.

While the Prime Minister has previously indicated his support for assisted dying, MPs will be free to follow their own consciences in the vote, akin to previous legislation on abortion and capital punishment.

Little information has been provided thus far on the detail of the proposed Bill, but Ms Leadbeater has confirmed that legislation “would apply only to adults who are terminally ill with only a short time left to live.”

Speaking on the eve of the Bill’s introduction, Kim Leadbeater told the Yorkshire Post: “I’m proud and very pleased to be able to introduce my Bill on choice at the end of life for the terminally ill in the House of Commons tomorrow.

“The current law is cruel and unjust and the time has come to have a system that is fit for purpose.”

“It is almost ten years since MPs last had the chance to debate and vote on the issue. It’s important that we get the legislation right, with the necessary protections and safeguards in place, which is why I am consulting very widely before publishing the details of my bill closer to the second reading debate on November 29.”

“I know some people think there should be no change to the law and there are others who would like to go further, but it is essential that we get this right which is why the debate cannot be rushed. But nor can it or should it be put off.”

Last night Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell publicly came out against the proposed Bill, speaking of his worries over safeguards and urging instead for more funding for palliative care.

Archbishop Cottrell said: “I agree wholeheartedly with Kim Leadbeater in the need for compassion and dignity for all those who suffer. I believe however that the right response is to offer hope and not fear, by resourcing palliative and end-of-life care properly.

"We should not legalise assisted suicide, we should be offering the best possible palliative care services to ensure the highest standards of care and compassion for all terminally ill patients.

"No amount of safeguards could ensure the safety of the most vulnerable in society should there be a change in the law allowing for assisted suicide.

"There would be serious and fundamental consequences for the whole of society if these proposals are accepted, especially for those who are at the most vulnerable point of their lives and for those who love and care for them."

He follows his predecessor John Sentamu, who also spoke out against assisted dying legislation when it was last debated in 2014.

Over a third of Church of England priests now support the introduction of assisted dying laws, according to a survey last year.

The issue is also set to divide those at the highest levels of Government.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband was the first member of the Cabinet to confirm he will vote in favour of assisted dying, with other cabinet ministers including Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Chancellor Rachel Reeves yet to be drawn on their intentions.

Former Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield, chair of Dignity in Dying, said: “All the families who have seen loved ones lose their lives in distress, those who have sadly taken their own lives, will recognise this is a really important moment.

“It’s absolutely the right moment because public opinion has been behind this for so very long.This is a critical moment for Kim to step in and take forward this legislation.”

Mr Blomfield has long been a campaigner for assisted dying since revealing that his father chose to die by suicide after receiving a terminal diagnosis.

Appealing to MPs yet to make up their mind, he said: “Not changing the law has consequences. Not acting means an estimated 6000 people a year will go through unnecessary suffering in their last days and weeks.

“The important thing is being confident about the legislation itself. Kim hasn’t announced all the details of the Bill, but she is very focussed that it’s legislation for those with a diagnosis of terminal illness.

“So the worries sometimes raised about those with a disability don’t apply. She’s very clear that safeguards will be in place that only people who have a terminal illness by confirmation of their own doctor and second opinion will be eligible.”

Families of people who have taken their lives after a terminal diagnosis, along with some who have accompanied relatives to Dignitas in Switzerland, will gather outside the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday in support of the Bill.

But while public support is estimated at around two thirds in favour of assisted dying, campaign and pressure groups have warned against a law change.

The charity Christian Action Research and Education (Care) has argued that it is “vitally important” people get the right care but that “assisted suicide is not the response dying people deserve”.

Ross Hendry, its chief executive, said: “Disabled people, professionals working with vulnerable adults, and many others find the prospect of a law change frightening.

“No number of safeguards could remove the threat of vulnerable people being coerced into ending their lives.”