Why MP from area voted in favour of Assisted Dying Bill

The Assisted Dying Dilemma: Balancing Compassion and Caution Kim Leadbeater, the sister of the murdered MP Jo Cox, topped the Private Members Bill ballot in September, and has chosen to present what is properly known as the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill.

I’m sure you’ve been aware of the emotive discussions around this Bill, with passionate advocates both for and against. The Bill has given me cause for deep reflection, knowing that whichever way I vote, there will be people who strongly disagree with me.

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, and 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, and in this, I am very much my mother’s daughter.

But I have wanted to consider this question deeply from all angles, so I have carefully read all the 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. 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.

This may not remain my position. Before the third reading of the Bill, more information might emerge to make me change my mind. So voting “aye” on Friday will provide the opportunity for further debate, and more time for that information to come to light.

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.

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.