Executive Director,
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
The UK assisted suicide bill that is sponsored by Kim Leadbeater (MP) is losing support and can be defeated.
The British parliament voted on Friday, November 29, 2024 (330 to 275) at second reading to support Kim Leadbeater's private members assisted suicide bill.
Some MP's who voted Yes to the assisted suicide bill remain concerned about the implementation of a law. There are many MP's who may change their vote as they learn more about the bill or as the bill is amended in committee.
An article by David Maddox that was published in the Independent on February 12 indicates that Rupert Lowe (Reform party) who voted in favour of the assisted suicide bill at second reading has indicated that he will now be voting against the bill at third reading.
Rupert Lowe's colleague Lee Anderson (Reform party) is also changing his vote on the legislation. Maddox reported Anderson as stating:
The bill passed by 55 votes at second reading and yet, according to Maddox, approximately 140 MP's are considering a change to their vote at third reading.
Weakening support for the assisted suicide bill crosses party lines. Maddox reported:
The UK assisted suicide bill that is sponsored by Kim Leadbeater (MP) is losing support and can be defeated.
The British parliament voted on Friday, November 29, 2024 (330 to 275) at second reading to support Kim Leadbeater's private members assisted suicide bill.
Some MP's who voted Yes to the assisted suicide bill remain concerned about the implementation of a law. There are many MP's who may change their vote as they learn more about the bill or as the bill is amended in committee.
An article by David Maddox that was published in the Independent on February 12 indicates that Rupert Lowe (Reform party) who voted in favour of the assisted suicide bill at second reading has indicated that he will now be voting against the bill at third reading.
Rupert Lowe's colleague Lee Anderson (Reform party) is also changing his vote on the legislation. Maddox reported Anderson as stating:
“I support assisted dying, but this bill becomes less credible by the day. It looks like it’s being forced through at any cost, therefore I fail to see how I can support this bill at third reading.”Maddox also reported that Liberal Democrat Alistair Carmichael had also backed the bill at second reading, but is now rethinking his support.
The bill passed by 55 votes at second reading and yet, according to Maddox, approximately 140 MP's are considering a change to their vote at third reading.
Weakening support for the assisted suicide bill crosses party lines. Maddox reported:
But critics including veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott believe the bill should now be pulled because of the removal of the safeguard.
Ms Abbott said in a post on X (Twitter): “Safeguards on the Assisted Dying Bill are collapsing. Rushed, badly thought-out legislation. Needs to be voted down.”
Former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron added: “Lots of MPs voted for the bill at second reading in the expectation that there would be stronger safeguards added at committee stage, and yet we now see that even the weak safeguards that existed are being dropped.”
And Tory MP Danny Kruger, who led the opposition at the bill’s second reading, said: “Approval by the High Court – the key safeguard used to sell the Assisted Suicide Bill to MPs – has been dropped. Instead we have a panel, NOT including a judge, of people committed to the process, sitting in private, without hearing arguments from the other side. A disgrace.”
More articles on this topic:
No comments:
Post a Comment