Balancing Compassion and Caution
Kim Leadbeater, the sister of the murdered MP Jo Cox, came top of the September ballot for Private Members Bills, and has chosen to present what is properly known as the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill.
If my mailbag is anything to go by, this Bill has been the subject of impassioned debate, with passionate advocates both for and against. (The photo above, which I took in Westminster tube station this week, sums up the situation.)
The Bill has given me cause for deep reflection, knowing that whichever way I vote, there will be people who strongly disagree with me.
So I’d like to take this opportunity to set out how I intend to vote, and why. You may not agree with my position, but I hope you will see that I have given this the profound consideration it deserves.
My initial position was in favour of the Bill. I suspect that most of us approach this question through the lens of our own personal experiences, and I am no different.
My parents have both passed away – my father 20 years ago, my mother last year. Both suffered catastrophic strokes, and died soon after – 6 weeks in my father’s case, 2 weeks for my mother. They, and I, were fortunate in that their suffering did not last for long.
However, my mother had made it very clear in her Advance Decision, which she printed off and distributed to her best friend, my sister and me, that if she suffered an illness or accident that left her with a significantly diminished quality of life, she wanted treatment to be withheld – in other words, for us to let her go. She also reminded us of this wish every time we saw her. Her independence and dignity were paramount to her. We were spared having to make a decision, but if she had asked us to help her, I have no doubt that we would have respected her wishes.
But I have wanted to consider this question deeply from all angles, so I have been reading the heartfelt and often very moving correspondence I’ve received on this issue. Some of it makes for tough reading. I’ve also attended many briefings on the Bill, and I’ve had some intense conversations with colleagues in the House of Commons, many of whom have powerful personal stories to tell. At different times I have felt pulled in both directions.
I have heard compelling arguments that, rather than assisted dying, what we need is more investment in hospice and palliative care. I have heard the concerns about pressure and coercion. I have heard about people with terminal diagnoses who are still alive 8 years later. I have heard about disabled people worried that they would fit the criteria, and yet would very much want to stay alive.
These stories have pulled at my heartstrings, and I have felt very conflicted over this issue, but ultimately what gave me clarity was taking it out of the abstract, and making it personal.
Up until this point, I’d been thinking of a terminal diagnosis as being something that happens to other people. But when I imagined myself sitting in the doctor’s surgery, hearing the words that none of us want to hear, I realised that I have no way of knowing how I would feel.
Would I want to cling onto every last moment of life that I possibly could? Or would I want to avoid pain, loss of independence, loss of dignity, loss of everything that I love about my life?
In all honesty, I don’t know.
But I do know that I would want options, so that whatever I was feeling as that news sank in, I would have a genuine choice. So I will be voting for the Bill on Friday.
And this speaks to the first of the core values of Liberal Democrats – liberty. Just as we value liberty in other aspects of our lives, we should extend that principle to our final moments. The Assisted Dying Bill is about giving people the power to choose how they want to face death—whether that means opting for assisted dying or choosing palliative care.
I absolutely accept the point that palliative care needs to be a viable alternative, so we need more investment to make sure it is fit for purpose. If there is to be genuine choice, then palliative care HAS to be at an appropriate standard, regardless of your postcode.
As we engage in this conversation, let us remember the human stories behind the statistics and policies. This is not just about laws; it’s about people who deserve compassion and the freedom to choose as they navigate their life’s final journey.
A few of the things I’ve done this week…
✅ Apart from the Assisted Dying Bill, the week has been dominated by Storm Bert and the floods that have sadly affected several homes and communities in the South Cotswolds. I will be visiting Down Ampney, Cricklade and Dauntsey this afternoon to speak to those affected.
✅ We continue to prepare for the 2nd reading of my own Private Members Bill, the Climate and Nature Bill – which feels more urgent than ever if we are to avoid more catastrophic weather, with consequent flooding. Last night in Westminster we had a well-attended rally, with a panel including Sir David King (former chief scientific adviser to the government), Lord Zac Goldsmith (Conservative peer), Carla Denyer MP (Green), Dr Simon Opher MP (Labour), Dame E.J. Milner Gulland from Oxford University, and activist Dominique Palmer. I was absolutely delighted at the turnout, and above all, the genuine enthusiasm and cross-party support for the Bill.
✅ Met with various environmental charities to discuss support for the Climate and Nature Bill – great to see the momentum building!
✅ Spoke alongside Mary Creagh MP, Minister for Nature, at an event hosted by Policy Connect on Unpacking the Circular Economy – a wide-ranging discussion on how we move to a less wasteful consumerist society (pictured right with Mary, and Tristan Osborne MP who chaired the event)
✅ Attended a briefing about the slow motion train wreck of our privatised water system, specifically about the troubled, debt-laden Thames Water, and to discuss ways forward
✅ Residential training weekend for Lib Dem MPs – very worthwhile opportunity to learn from those who have been MPs for longer than I have
✅ And a note that the podcast I recorded for Politics Home last week, about the Private Members Bill process, should now be available
✅ Recorded a conversation with Jamie Stone MP for his “Stone’s Scoop” series – stay tuned to find out what my favourite flavour of ice cream is, and other more important facts!
✅ Attended briefings by Bite Back (youth movement for a better, fairer food system), RNIB, the County Councils Network on the revised National Planning Policy Framework and devolution, Fuel Poverty Awareness, and Four Paws for a Fur Free Britain
✅ Went to the launch of the Fair Elections APPG, a subject dear to my heart – great to see such passionate cross-party support for a fairer voting system
Quote of the Week
“For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?” – Kahlil Gibran
Wishing you a great week!
