‘On assisted dying we must now have the courage of our convictions’

A year ago this week, Parliament came together to do something rare.

MPs from different parties, traditions and viewpoints voted to support the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. We debated passionately and scrutinised the legislation in detail. And a majority reached the same conclusion: that terminally ill adults at the end of their lives should have the choice of a dignified death, protected by what was rightly described as the safest and most robust assisted dying framework anywhere in the world.

For me, it remains one of the most compassionate and important reforms Parliament has considered in a generation. Yet, despite a clear mandate from the Commons and the public, it has stalled. 

After being drawn second in the Private Member’s Bill ballot last month and thinking long and hard about my options, I could not ignore the democratic or moral imperative before me. This week, I will officially reintroduce the assisted dying bill to Parliament.

Support for assisted dying reform runs strongly through the Labour movement – among Labour MPs, members and voters alike – and it is reflected across government too, with a clear and significant majority of Cabinet ministers having backed change. But the reason this matters is not because of who supports it in Westminster. 

READ MORE: Labour MP to reintroduce assisted dying bill to Parliament

This is first and foremost a human issue, not a party political one.  It matters because of the people we serve. Our responsibility is to ensure that terminally ill people and their families know Parliament has listened to them and is prepared to act with compassion.

Last Friday, I spoke with Elise Burns from nearby Faversham. Elise is living with secondary breast cancer that has spread to her lungs, liver and bones. In the week before we spoke, she had undergone two surgeries, and attended eight medical appointments including another round of chemotherapy.

People like Elise are not interested in procedural battles between Westminster institutions. They want to know that Parliament has heard them, understands what they are going through and is willing to act with compassion. They want to know that difficult conversations are not being avoided simply because they are difficult.

I did not arrive at my decision to bring back the assisted dying bill lightly. There were many important issues I could have chosen to pursue. But I kept returning to the same conclusion: we are elected to deal with difficult questions, not shy away from them. 

Some of the most significant social reforms in modern British history have come through the Private Members’ Bill process, particularly on matters of conscience. This proud parliamentary tradition has allowed legislators to look beyond party politics and focus on what is right.

I also bring a personal perspective to this debate. I was born in Victoria, the first state in Australia to legalise assisted dying. I have seen how societies can approach these questions with seriousness, compassion and respect. Experience elsewhere shows that it is possible to provide choice, dignity and strong safeguards together.

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The legislation that left the House of Commons last year was the product of months of scrutiny and evidence. MPs consulted constituents, listened to experts, and considered the experiences of those living with terminal illness. This took place following decades of parliamentary and public debate, including a 14-month Health Select Committee inquiry in the last parliament.

That is why I believe we must now have the courage of our convictions.

The question before Parliament is not exactly the same as it was a year ago. The House of Commons has already expressed its view on the principle of assisted dying and the proposal before it. The task now is to ensure Parliament can reach a final decision on legislation that was never conclusively resolved.

The House of Lords performs a vital revising role and benefits from enormous expertise. I hope Peers from all sides can work constructively to ensure they have a full and fair opportunity to refine the Bill and do the job they do so well; a task they were unable to complete the first time round because of the tactics employed by a small minority. My aim is not confrontation but completion. The country deserves clarity, and terminally ill people deserve certainty.

Ultimately, this debate comes back to the values that brought many of us into public life: compassion, dignity and respect for individual choice. Those are values that resonate deeply within the Labour movement, but they are also values shared far beyond it.

A year ago, Parliament took an important step forward. Now we have an opportunity to finish the job.

For Elise, for countless families facing impossible circumstances, and for everyone who wants reassurance that their final wishes will be respected, we cannot allow this question to remain unresolved. Parliament has heard them. It must now act.

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