A former Conservative MP has spoken against the assisted suicide bill, proposed by Labour’s Kim Leadbeater, saying that far too many safeguards have been faraway from it.
The bill passed second reading in November, during which MPs were assured that any applications to undergo assisted suicide would require approval from a High Court judge.
Critics of the bill are concerned that elderly, disabled or vulnerable patients could also be pressured by members of the family or doctors to finish their life against their will.
Not only has the requirement for a High Court judge to present approval been faraway from the bill, but amendments geared toward providing further safeguards have been rejected on the committee stage.
These amendments include provisions that may make it illegal for doctors to suggest suicide to under-18s and protections for those with Down’s syndrome or with pre-existing suicidal risk aspects.
Caroline Ansell, who was previously the MP for Eastbourne and now serves as Director of Advocacy and Policy on the Christian charity CARE, has deep concerns in regards to the bill and the method surrounding it.
She said that the method up to now had failed to handle concerns raised in regards to the proposed laws, and that organisations representing people living with issues like disability, anorexia, and suicidal thoughts “understandably feel like their voices aren’t being heard on this debate”.
“As a former MP, I even have felt deeply uneasy whilst following committee scrutiny of the Bill,” she said.
“A series of amendments designed to safeguard vulnerable Britons have been voted down.
“Now the High Court provision has been faraway from the bill in favour of widely criticised, unworkable panels.” She added, “MPs shouldn’t have any confidence on this Bill in terms of third reading. It has not been given the robust scrutiny that every one laws requires – particularly a proposal of this gravity. Parliament should vote it down.”
