Peers have been urged to show "care and compassion" as they prepare for a historic assisted dying debate in the House of Lords starting Friday. Around 190 peers have put their names down to speak across the two-day debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, potentially setting a new record. The previous record of 187 speakers was set during the EU Withdrawal Bill's Second Reading in 2018.
The Second Reading stage will conclude on 19th September, when peers could potentially vote against the proposed legislation. If this happens, the Bill would fall completely and parliamentary efforts to legalise assisted dying would have to start from scratch. Supporters warn this could mean another decade before such legislation returns to Westminster.
Supporters rally behind legislation
Dame Esther Rantzen, the terminally ill Childline founder, has appealed to peers not to block the legislation. She branded the current law "cruel and messy" and said: "If the Lords can show the same care and compassion (as the Commons), it's a unique opportunity for them to support and protect the most vulnerable."
Lord Charlie Falconer, the former lord chancellor sponsoring the Bill in the Lords, expressed confidence there is time for proper scrutiny before the parliamentary session ends in spring. He said the legislation will "benefit from the experience and expertise of the Lords, continuing the rigorous scrutiny that has marked this Bill's passage so far" and promised he and Labour MP Kim Leadbeater would be "very open" to suggestions for improvements.
Opposition voices concerns
Dame Sarah Mullally, a Church of England bishop, said she intends to repeat her "deep concerns" and "grave fears" about the Bill's "potential to disproportionately impact the most vulnerable in our society." She previously argued peers "must oppose a law that puts the vulnerable at risk and instead work to improve funding and access to desperately needed palliative care services."
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, the Paralympian and disabled rights campaigner, remains worried about possible coercion under legislation she said "fundamentally changes our relationship with medicine, with doctors."
Bill's safeguards and scope
Supporters describe the proposed legislation as one of the safest in the world, requiring approval from two doctors and an expert panel. The Bill would only apply to terminally ill adults with a diagnosis of less than six months to live across England and Wales. Conservative MP James Cleverly has previously argued this does not have to be a "now or never" moment for assisted dying legislation.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
