UK Labour MP's are divided on assisted suicide.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

A private members bill to legalize assisted suicide in the UK, that is being sponsored by Kim Leadbeater (Labour MP) is scheduled to be released on October 16 and is being fast-tracked by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to enable it to have a second reading vote before Christmas.

Prime Minister Starmer, the leader of Britain's Labour Party, is a long-time promoter of assisted suicide. During the election Starmer promised that he would introduce a bill and allow a free-vote on assisted suicide. The July 4 election resulted in the Labour Party winning a massive majority with 411 out of 650 parliamentary seats.

The Daily Mail reported that Starmer's Labour MP's are divided on the issue of assisted suicide. An article by Glen Owen and Brendan Carlin reported that, among others, Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood oppose assisted suicide. The authors report:

A Labour source said: 'The wheels are turning. It has been made clear to the MPs at the top of the ballot that the PM backs a change in the law.'

However, Sir Keir's Cabinet is split on the issue. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said: 'I don't intend to support it... I know some MPs who support this issue think, 'For God's sake, we're not a nation of granny killers, what's wrong with you'… [But] once you cross that line, you've crossed it forever. If it becomes the norm that at a certain age or with certain diseases, you are now a bit of a burden… that's a really dangerous position.'

And Health Secretary Wes Streeting has declared himself 'conflicted' on the issue, citing the poor state of end-of-life care and warning that the 'right protections' were needed to make sure people don't 'take their own life thinking they were a burden on others'.

He explained he was 'deeply uncomfortable' about the practical aspects of changing the law, saying: 'Candidly, when I think about this question of being a burden, I do not think that palliative care, end-of-life care in this country, is in a condition yet where we are giving people the freedom to choose, without being coerced by the lack of support available.'

Faith Ridler reported for Sky News (UK) on September 16, 2024 that:

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is 'sceptical' of the case for assisted dying for 'quite personal' reasons. Ridler reported that during an interview with Sky News' deputy political editor Sam Coates, Davey stated that MP's must deeply and carefully listen to all sides of the debate, considering it's outcome. Davey also urged MP's not to rush a vote on assisted suicide.

The four candidates vying to become the leader of the Conservative Party oppose assisted suicide.

More than half of the MP's elected in the last UK election are new. People who oppose assisted suicide need to meet with their MP's and urge them to vote no to the Leadbeater assisted suicide bill.