'The time has come': Lord Falconer calls for 'significant' assisted dying reform ahead of his new bill being introduced
21 July 2024, 13:31 | Updated: 21 July 2024, 13:34
Lord Falconer demands law change on assisted dying
"The time has come" for significant assisted dying reform, Lord Falconer has said ahead of his new bill being introduced.
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Speaking to LBC, Lord Falconer said it is important that Parliament has "a proper opportunity" to vote on the subject.
It comes as his bill seeking to allow terminally ill adults to end their life is set to be introduced to the upper chamber next Friday.
It is likely to be debated over the coming year and, if it receives sufficient support, could become law.
"[Keir Starmer] made it clear in that really important interview you did with him and Esther Rantzen that he is supportive, he is willing to make sure there is Parliamentary time for it to happen, and he’s absolutely clear that it’s not going to be a whipped vote," Lord Falconer said.
"It’s going to be a conscience vote for every MP.
Keir Starmer tells Nick Ferrari he would advocate to change assisted dying law
"I introduced the bill 10 years ago which got through the Lords. At the same time, it then went to the Commons and it was pretty firmly defeated," Lord Falconer continued.
"We’re 10 years on from that, we’ve got a Prime Minister that supports it, and there are now 477 new MPs by comparison with the 650 MPs that were present in 2015.
"I strongly feel that the time for this reform, and this is a very significant reform, has come.
"Whether I’m right or whether I’m wrong, I don’t know, but the key thing is that Parliament must have a proper opportunity to decide.
"And that’s, I think, what’s going to happen. Not from my bill, which is only in the Lords, but the matter coming to the Commons."
He added: "This time around, the Commons is going to have a vote on it. And if they say yes, then the law will change."
Dame Esther Rantzen joins Nick Ferrari
The PM previously told LBC he would honour his commitment made before the election to give MPs a free vote on whether to change the law.
But he suggested it would not be in the first year of a Labour government, as he had other priorities to sort out first.
"I will double down on that commitment – we will allow time for a private members bill, and there will be a free vote," Sir Keir said.
“Having probably got more experience than most people, having personally looked at tens of cases in my time as DPP.
“I haven’t made a commitment on timing and don’t want to… I’m not going back on the commitment I made, but we have got to set out priorities for the first year or so.”
Carol Vorderman explains why she would choose assisted suicide if she had a terminal condition
Dame Esther Rantzen has been campaigning for the law to change after she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.
She said she will open a bottle of champagne live on air if the free vote on assisted dying goes ahead.
It comes after the broadcasting legend previously revealed she had signed up to Dignitas in Switzerland.
It is currently illegal to assist someone in taking their own life in the UK.
