Tag: Assisted Dying Bill

Assisted Dying Won’t Be Easy

The Assisted Dying Bill was passed in the Commons last week, but if you think that will make it easy, think again. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said there is no budget for an assisted dying service. The Bill is not only complex but requires legal and medical advice to make sure you or your carers and doctors don’t make it invalid.

There is probably a business opportunity here that someone might wish to take up. The provision of low cost legal and medical advice to someone who wishes to invoke the new law is a service that is required. A register of doctors who are willing to assist would also be a good idea.

In the meantime, expect a rearguard action by those who oppose the Bill in the House of Lords with numerous impractical amendments put forward which will surely be rejected when the Bill returns to the Commons.

Don’t let us lose this opportunity to provide support to people who want to die.

Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://x.com/RogerWLawson  )

You can obtain notifications of new posts in future by following me on Twitter (now “X”) – see https://x.com/RogerWLawson where new blog posts are usually mentioned.

Assisted Dying Bill Passes Third Reading in Commons

The Assisted Dying Bill passed by a majority of 22 votes in the Commons today. I note my M.P. Clive Efford did not vote – a black mark against him as I have always been a strong supporter of such legislation. The Bill may not be perfect but it is certainly much better than the current legal position.

The Bill will now go to the Lords for further debate and another vote on possible amendments.

I am more concerned about the complexity of the paths now created to get approval for an assisted death than all the objections invoked against the Bill. If I want to leave this world, I will be very unhappy if people get in my way. I have had a terminal kidney disease for over 30 years and I may have some years left but I don’t want to hang around unnecessarily. Death from my kidney disease may not be painful but other people suffer a great deal and unnecessarily.

I first read a good book on the subject called Final Exit by Derek Humphrey in about 1990 and have supported UK legislation on the subject and the organisation that promotes it ever since – see Dignity Campaign: https://www.dignityindying.org.uk/

BBC Report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd78nvn2r1yo

Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://x.com/RogerWLawson  )

You can obtain notifications of new posts in future by following me on Twitter (now “X”) – see https://x.com/RogerWLawson where new blog posts are usually mentioned.

Assisted Dying Bill Challenged

Despite the Scottish Parliament voting for an assisted dying bill this week, the Telegraph reported maliciously that the UK Bill promoted by Kim Leadbetter was at risk of collapse. The article suggested that some MPs were changing their minds based on anecdotal reports.

The Assisted Dying Bill returns to the Common on this Friday and a large number of amendments have been tabled. This seems to reflect some concerns (mainly imaginary ones in my view) about the protections against being coerced into volunteering for a painless death by those with some mental deficiencies. The large number of amendments might result in the Bill being “talked out” (a “filibuster” in essence by a few extremists opposed to any change).

All of this is hypothetical in my view and it would be most disappointing if this Bill was not progressed. Some MPs do like to sit on the fence when it comes to contentious political issues instead of providing leadership. No new Bill is perfect and there should be room for subsequent changes to tidy up matters after some experience of the practice. In other countries where such Bills are already in place the concerns have turned out to very few.

See the Telegraph article here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05/14/assisted-dying-bill-risk-collapse-backers-change-minds/

Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://x.com/RogerWLawson  )

You can obtain notifications of new posts in future by following me on Twitter (now “X”) – see https://x.com/RogerWLawson where new blog posts are usually mentioned.

Assisted Dying and Transport News

 I was very pleased to see the Assisted Dying Bill passed in the House of Commons. I have supported the Dignity in Dying organisation (formerly VES) and their campaigns for over 30 years  – see https://www.dignityindying.org.uk/ . When I want to leave this world I want to go quickly and without judges or doctors interfering in my decision, or the necessity to go to Switzerland.  

I don’t want to live to 100 as my mother did. 85 years is long enough for anyone to complete their life’s ambitions as quality of life declines rapidly thereafter. I am ready to go anytime now but the Assisted Dying Bill might frustrate that ambition. There is no need for anyone to die in pain. The Assisted Dying Bill may not be perfect as it stands but there is plenty of time to improve it.

Opposition to the Bill is irrational and based on lack of knowledge of how such legislation works, and well, in other countries.

New Transport Secretary

The other big political news was the resignation of Louise Haigh as Transport Secretary. This arose because she had failed to disclose a past conviction for fraud over the loss of a mobile phone. This seems to have arisen because of a simple mistake and subsequent bad legal advice where she plead guilty.

Her replacement as Transport Secretary is Heidi Alexander, who previously served as Deputy Mayor for Transport in London. During her tenure, from 2018 to 2021, she oversaw the introduction and expansion of the ULEZ scheme, which was unnecessary, and the rollout of 20mph speed limits in London. TfL became a financial basket case during her tenancy. She may have a malign influence on national transport policy. In 2019, she candidly confessed, “I may not have qualifications in transport.” A frank admission given her track record in the role but it is convention to appoint people with no knowledge or experience of the subject to senior government positions. It’s traditional in the UK that amateurs are thought to be better than professionals to take responsibility for major policy and associated budgets. That’s a very silly approach.

Before she left Louise Haigh announced a new National Transport Strategy  – see  https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transport-secretary-unveils-her-vision-for-integrated-transport-across-england . It included a commitment to a ‘people first approach’ to getting people around the country. Recognising that different passengers have different needs, and the quality of transport varies across the country, it will set out how government can support local areas to make all forms of transport work together better. All this is political bullshit in essence which we have seen many times before to no great effect.

It is still unclear what diesel/petrol or hybrid vehicles will be allowed to be sold after 2030, although the media have reported that the Government is having a rethink and is consulting car manufacturers. But it is obvious that UK car and van manufacturing is already facing a cliff edge. Stellantis last week announced it was closing van manufacturing in Luton. Jaguar is suspending production of all cars because their product range is now all-electric and there is simply insufficient demand for such cars.

The requirement for all vehicle manufacturers to have a certain proportion of sales from all-electric vehicles is proving impossible to meet economically. One can see that many people will be keeping petrol vehicles for as long as 20 years so will frustrate this Government policy. Old cars could become quite valuable!

Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://twitter.com/RogerWLawson  )

You can obtain notifications of new posts in future by following me on Twitter (now “X”) – see https://x.com/RogerWLawson where new blog posts are usually mentioned.

Assisted Dying Bill Welcomed 

 Kim Leadbeater MP has announced that she is introducing an Assisted Dying Bill to the House of Commons. If it passes, this Bill would legalise assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults. The Prime Minister has promised a free vote on the Bill and with the House of Commons now dominated by left-wing MPs it stands a good chance of passing there. The House of Lords may be more problematic, however.

As a long-standing supporter of the euthanasia campaign group Dignity in Dying (see https://www.dignityindying.org.uk/ ) I hope this Bill progresses.

Assisted dying may not need to be invoked in most medical situations but it is very important to some people suffering from excessive pain or disability near the end of life.

The objections to such a Bill are generally misconceived. Similar Bills in other countries who have introduced such legislation have worked well and there are very few abuses.

Please support it!

Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://twitter.com/RogerWLawson  )

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