'There are different views and opinions': MP behind assisted dying bill reveals cabinet split ahead of key vote

12 November 2024, 17:40

The MP behind the assisted dying bill has told LBC there is a cabinet split ahead of the key vote.

Speaking to LBC's Tom Swarbrick, Kim Leadbeater said there are "a range of different views" on assisted dying within the cabinet, with some having campaigned in favour of it for decades while others refuse to support it on religious grounds.

"It is a free vote. And quite right, too, it should be," Ms Leadbeater said.

"The Prime Minister has made his views known and is on record historically as supporting a change in the law, particularly given his experience as the Director of Public Prosecutions.

"But there are different views and opinions within the cabinet. There are different views and opinions within government."

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Kim Leadbeater says the Goverment is juggling 'a delicate balance' on assisted dying

When asked if the views should be aired publicly, she said: "You end up in a really difficult situation because some people were here in 2015, so they're on record as to how they voted.

"So you can't really have some people able to speak."

Ms Leadbeater continued: "Within the health team, within the cabinet, there are a range of different views.

"There are colleagues here who have campaigned on this issue for decades, for 10 years, 20 years.

"There are other colleagues who, for religious reasons, feel that they couldn't support a bill like this, and I respect that."

She went on to say: "I think it's an important part of the discussion to know what parliamentarians think.

"That is our job, and we should be open and we should be transparent. And again, because it is a free vote, I think there should be freedom to talk about our views and opinions.

"It's hard when you're in government because you've also got to be neutral on the position, so you're juggling a delicate balance.

"But I think the important thing is that this debate happens, and we listen to all those different views and opinions.

"And certainly, what I've tried to do is facilitate a robust debate, but also a compassionate and respectful debate, irrespective of what our different views are."

Dame Esther Rantzen hails Labour's 'extraordinary' Kim Leadbeater for the assisted dying bill

Under the End of Life Bill, only terminally ill adults with less than six months to live who have a settled wish to end their lives would be eligible.

Anyone who wants to take their own life under the new law must live in England or Wales, have been registered with a GP for at least a year and have the mental capacity to make the right decision.

They must take the fatal medicine themselves - neither a doctor nor anyone else can administer it.

The details of the bill were released ahead of MPs' first vote on the proposal on November 29.