ChildLine founder and New Forest resident Dame Esther Rantzen hails Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill
DAME Esther Rantzen has hailed the new “wonderful” assisted dying Bill but admitted she regrets that it would probably come in too late for her.
The veteran broadcaster and New Forest resident praised Kim Leadbeater for her commitment, compassion and courage in taking on the divisive issue, saying the MP’s late sister Jo Cox – who was murdered in 2016 – would be “incredibly proud”.
Dame Esther, who has terminal cancer and revealed in December that she had joined Dignitas due to the current law in England, said unless her current medication turns out to be “totally miraculous” and extends her life by a few years “there’s no way an assisted dying law can come into force in time for me”.
In a statement this week, she added: “But then I always knew that was not possible.”
Ms Leadbeater said the first assisted death under her Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill if it was passed was likely to be two to three years away.
She recognised this is “heartbreaking in some respects” for those people and families for whom it will be too late.
Asked about Dame Esther, Ms Leadbeater said: “She is very poorly, but she’s such a fighter that she wants to make sure that people understand, as I’ve said, that the law as it stands – it will be too late for her, I’m fairly sure from what she’s said to me – but we’re fighting for the future of people who are terminally ill, to have a different choice, to have the autonomy, to have the control that Dame Esther will not have.”
The ChildLine founder (84) also said she regrets that, if passed, the bill would not apply to people with “chronic illnesses that can cause months of unbearable pain and distress”, but acknowledged there was a need to produce a proposal which might be supported by the majority.
Dame Esther said: “I understand that politics is the art of the possible, and having these narrow criteria makes it possible politically to get this reform through, which is so crucial.”
She added: “Congratulations Kim Leadbeater MP for your commitment, your compassion, your conscientious hard work, and your courage in choosing this as your Private Member’s Bill. Your sister Jo Cox would be incredibly proud of you.
“And thank you to all those who campaigned, and signed petitions, and shared their own tragic stories of the agonising deaths of those they loved, reliving so many painful memories.
“Thank you to all those in Parliament who support this vital reform.”
To those opposed, Dame Esther urged them to think of their loved ones – and themselves – facing an agonising death, as she reiterated the bill “will give you the right to choose, not to shorten your own lives but to shorten your death”.
Looking forward to the debate on 29th November, Dame Esther said she is “amazed and thrilled to have lived long enough” to witness what will be “such a landmark life and death moment”.
While not well enough to be there in person, she said she will “certainly be glued to my television with my fingers firmly crossed that the vote will go the way the vast majority of the public want, and have waited for so long”.
Ms Leadbeater described the past few months as “harrowing” as she heard stories of people’s experiences with particularly difficult deaths.
“It’s been a really tough process if I’m honest, I’ve spent a huge amount of my time talking about death. And for most cases pretty horrible deaths,” she said.
But the MP said it has been “positive” in the sense it has opened up a conversation on death – a subject she said is not spoken about enough.
She added: “If we can facilitate that debate, whatever happens with the bill, I think that’s got to be a good thing.”
Despite Ms Leadbeater describing her bill as the “most robust piece of legislation in the world” with strict safeguards, others said it is not possible to guarantee against coercion.
The Christian Action Research and Education (Care) organisation said: “We fear the impact of assisted suicide on vulnerable and marginalised people in particular.
“No number of safeguards can remove the threat of patient coercion, and citizens choosing assisted suicide because they feel like a burden or lack health, social care, or welfare support.”
What is assisted dying?
This, and the language used, varies depending on who you ask.
Pro-change campaigners Dignity in Dying say that assisted dying allows a person with a terminal condition the choice to control their death if they decide their suffering is unbearable.
They argue that, along with good care, dying people who are terminally ill and mentally competent adults deserve the choice to control the timing and manner of their death.
But the campaign group Care Not Killing uses the terms “assisted suicide” and “euthanasia”, and argues that the focus should be on “promoting more and better palliative care” rather than any law change.
They say legalising assisted dying could “place pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a financial, emotional or care burden upon others” and argue the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk.
What is the current law?
Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to being charged with murder or other offences.
What is happening at Westminster?
Labour MP Kim Leadbeater formally introduced her bill to give choice at the end of life for the terminally ill in October.
A debate and first vote are expected to take place on November 29.
If the bill passes the first stage in the Commons, it will go to committee stage where MPs can table amendments, before facing further scrutiny and votes in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, meaning any change in the law would not be agreed until next year at the earliest.
Ms Leadbeater’s bill would apply only to England and Wales.
What is in the bill?
There are several requirements for someone to be eligible under the proposed law.
The person must be an adult – aged 18 or older – and be resident in England and Wales and registered with a GP for at least 12 months.
They must have the mental capacity to make a choice about the end of their life and be deemed to have expressed a clear, settled and informed wish – free from coercion or pressure – to end their life.
They must be terminally ill and be expected to die within six months.
They must make two separate declarations, witnessed and signed, about their wish to die.
The process must involve two independent doctors being satisfied the person is eligible and the medics can consult a specialist in the person’s condition and get an assessment from an expert in mental capacity if deemed necessary.
A High Court judge must hear from at least one of the doctors regarding the application and can also question the dying person as well as anyone else they consider appropriate.
There must be at least seven days between the two doctors making their assessments and a further 14 days after the judge has made a ruling, for the person to have a period of reflection on their decision.
For someone whose death is expected imminently, the 14-day period could be reduced to 48 hours.
What safeguards are there?
It would be illegal for someone to pressure, coerce or use dishonesty to get someone to make a declaration that they wish to end their life or to induce someone to self-administer an approved substance.
If someone is found guilty of either of these actions, they could face a jail sentence of up to 14 years.
When would any new law come into effect?
Ms Leadbeater has suggested a new law would not take effect for another two to three years, with “even more consultation to make sure we get it right” once legislation was passed.
Would doctors have to take part in the service of assisted dying?
No. Doctors would not be under any obligation to take part.
Doctors who do would have to be satisfied the person making their declaration to die has made it voluntarily and not been coerced or pressured by anyone else.
They would also be required to ensure the person is making an informed choice, including being made aware of their other treatment options such as palliative and hospice care.
Who would administer the medication?
The dying person must take the medication themselves.
No doctor or anyone else can give the medication to the terminally ill person.
Will there be any scrutiny of how the new law operates?
The chief medical officers in England and Wales and the Health Secretary would be required to monitor and report on the operation of the law.
The Health Secretary would also be required to report on the availability, quality and distribution of appropriate health services to people with palliative care needs, including pain and symptom management, psychological support for those people and their families, and information about palliative care and how to access it.
– Has the issue been voted on at Westminster before?
Not for almost a decade. An Assisted Dying Bill, which would have allowed some terminally ill adults to ask for medical help to end their life, went before the Commons in 2015 and was rejected by MPs.
There was also a bill proposed in the House of Lords during the 2021/2022 session which reached a second reading in the chamber, while a Westminster Hall debate on assisted dying took place in July 2022.
Are MPs guaranteed a vote on the bill next month?
No. Bills such as this are known as private members’ bills (PMBs) and are considered during Friday sittings. The time available to consider them is from 9.30am until 2.30pm.
If the debate is still ongoing at 2.30pm then it is adjourned and the bill falls to the bottom of the list, which means it is highly unlikely to make any further progress.
A closure motion can be moved to curtail the debate and force a vote. It may be moved at any time during proceedings.
On Friday sittings, an MP seeking to move such a motion tends to do so at around 1pm. If approved, the House then votes on whether or not to give the bill a second reading.
If rejected, the House resumes the debate and the bill is unlikely to progress.
