Cruel Amendments Threaten to Thwart Assisted Dying Bill, Says Lead MP
Kim Leadbeater, the MP leading the campaign for the assisted dying bill, has criticised peers for tabling over 1,000 amendments aimed at blocking the legislation, many of which she describes as unnecessary or cruel. Among the proposed amendments are measures that would deny an assisted death to individuals who have travelled outside the country in the previous year and introduce checks on family members for financial impropriety. Other amendments would require the recording of assisted deaths, a provision described as intrusive, and allow filming of terminally ill people during an assisted death.
The bill, which has already passed the Commons, now faces delays in the House of Lords, where the committee stage has addressed about 80 of the more than 1,150 amendments, raising concerns that time may run out. Lords are scheduled to vote on some amendments during the fourth day of debate on Friday, with six more planned for the new year. Three MPs—Justin Madders, Nia Griffith, and Debbie Abrahams—have written to The Guardian urging peers not to filibuster the bill.
Peers defending the amendments argue they are necessary to improve the bill, particularly to prevent coercion. Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson highlighted concerns about coercion and stressed the importance of recording deaths to identify such risks. An amendment by Alex Carlile, which would restore the role of a High Court judge in deciding applications for assisted death, is gaining support as a means to address potential court capacity issues.
