Assisted Dying Bill must return

David Lewin says MPs must bring back measures foiled by the House of Lords

The UK houses of parliament, viewed from across the road at the top of The Mall — The palace of Westminster – home to the UK’s houses of parliament

Dear Barnet Post,

The Assisted Dying Bill was not defeated by the elected House of Commons.

It was passed by MPs, then died because parliamentary time ran out after obstruction in the unelected House of Lords. That distinction matters.

The campaign may understandably now be focused on getting the Bill reintroduced and passed, but the public should not be asked to forget how the previous bill was lost. If unelected peers can use procedure to frustrate the declared will of the elected house, then the public has a right to know who did it and how it happened.

This is not a technicality. It is a democratic issue and a human issue.

At the heart of the matter is a simple moral question: Has any human being the moral right to deny another person, suffering in a way which modern medicine cannot alleviate, the right to be helped to die peacefully, lawfully and with safeguards?

Opponents are entitled to their beliefs. But they are not entitled to impose those beliefs indefinitely on dying people whose suffering
they do not have to endure.

My own MP, Dan Tomlinson, voted against the bill at second reading. I do not know what personal, philosophical or religious beliefs led him to that decision, and I do not presume to know. But MPs represent constituents, not only themselves. Constituency-level polling and modelled estimates show majority support for assisted dying reform in Chipping Barnet.

When this bill returns, MPs should face the question directly. They should not hide behind delay, procedure, exhaustion or unelected obstruction.

The country deserves a clear democratic decision.

Dying people deserve compassion, choice and dignity.

And the public deserves to know that the last bill did not die because the case for assisted dying was defeated. It died because parliament failed to finish the job.

David Lewin,

Totteridge

Local news needs your support

We are proud that we were at the forefront of reporting on the recent local elections. We can’t do this without the support of our readers.

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

ACT NOW!

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.