Assisted dying firmly on political agenda, as third party makes manifesto pledge
Today the Greens become the third political party to include assisted dying in their 2024 General Election manifesto, following the Conservatives yesterday and the Lib Dems on Tuesday.
This follows previous personal commitments from both the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition to ensure parliamentary time is made available to debate assisted dying in the next parliament and to allow MPs a free vote.
In March, Sir Keir Starmer reaffirmed his personal support for law change and committed to making time for debate if he is successful in his bid to become Prime Minister. He made the comments in an interview with Dame Esther Rantzen who has terminal lung cancer and revealed that she may travel to Dignitas in Switzerland for an assisted death if she is suffering unbearably.
Yesterday the Conservative Party pledged to respect the will of Parliament on assisted dying. In the Party’s manifesto it promised: “We will maintain the position that assisted dying is a matter of conscience and will respect the will of Parliament.” The manifesto added: “Debates on assisted dying should never distract from the importance of delivering high-quality palliative care services and we will continue to support children’s and adults’ hospices.”
The pledge echoes comments made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a Downing Street meeting with Dignity in Dying supporter Matt Ryan, whose father and sister both suffered prolonged and painful deaths from cancer. The Prime Minister said he was “very sympathetic” to the family’s experience and indicated he would allow parliamentary time for a new debate on assisted dying.
Matt Ryan said:
“I am pleased that the Conservative Party recognises that assisted dying is an issue that is not going away; something all parties must accept and act on. It was my dad’s dying wish to see this law changed but sadly it did not come in time for him and he died in pain, just as he had feared and just as my sister had done just two years before despite excellent hospice care. I hope whoever leads our next Government will remember their stories and those of countless dying people like him who are calling out for change.”
In their manifesto published today, the Green Party announced that elected candidates “will support a change in the law to legalise assisted dying for people suffering from terminal disease who wish to avoid prolonged unnecessary suffering, if this is their clear and settled will”. This follows the Lib Dem’s announcement in their manifesto on Tuesday to “give Parliament time to fully debate and vote on legislation on assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults with strict safeguards, subject to a free vote.”
Sarah Wootton, Chief Executive of Dignity in Dying, said:
“Legalising assisted dying is now firmly on the political agenda. Three quarters of voters are demanding change and candidates of all parties should expect to be told Dignity has their vote. They will be asked on the doorstep whether they will back a safer, kinder law that provides choice alongside the very best care, or whether they will cling on to a dangerous and unpopular status quo. It’s clear that this is a cross-party issue and ensuring a full, free and fair debate will be an urgent task of the next Government.”
This comes at a critical moment for the campaign to legalise assisted dying in the UK, with Scotland, Jersey and the Isle of Man already debating how to implement a law for their citizens, and growing cross-party appetite for a full and fair debate on how Westminster can bring similar legislation to England and Wales.
In February, a 14-month inquiry by cross-party MPs confirmed that such laws already work safely in many countries around the world, with tight safeguards that benefit and protect dying people, and improve end-of-life care as a whole.
In March this year, the largest and most in-depth UK-wide survey of public opinion on assisted dying revealed that three quarters of the public back law change on assisted dying, consistent across ages, backgrounds and voting intentions, and with majority support in every parliamentary constituency across Great Britain.
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For more information or interview requests, please email Tom Steen, Media and Campaigns Support Officer at Dignity in Dying, tom.steen@dignityindying.org.uk or call 07855 209809.
