PM ‘confident' on assisted dying law despite Streeting's ‘no budget' warning
The Prime Minister insisted the correct preparation has been done to ensure the Bill is 'workable in all its aspects'.
Sir Keir supported the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in a historic vote on Friday which saw the proposed legislation clear the Commons.
The Government is neutral on the topic and MPs had a free vote, meaning they made their own decisions rather than following party lines.
Mr Streeting was one of the most senior Government ministers to vote against the Bill, alongside Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
At the weekend, Mr Streeting warned that legalising assisted dying would take 'time and money' away from other parts of the health service.
He said better end-of-life care was needed to prevent terminally ill people feeling they had no alternative but to end their own life.
Writing on his Facebook page, Mr Streeting said: 'Even with the savings that might come from assisted dying if people take up the service – and it feels uncomfortable talking about savings in this context to be honest – setting up this service will also take time and money that is in short supply.
'There isn't a budget for this. Politics is about prioritising. It is a daily series of choices and trade-offs. I fear we've made the wrong one.'
Sir Keir was asked by reporters if the will of Parliament must be implemented and a budget found for assisted dying.
He said: 'It is my responsibility to make sure the Bill is workable, and that means workable in all its aspects.
'I'm confident we've done that preparation.'
The Bill cleared the Commons on Friday, but with a narrower majority of 23 votes, compared with a majority of 55 in November.
It will next come before the House of Lords for further debate and votes.
Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who steered the Bill through the Commons, has said she hopes peers will not try to derail the legislation, which could run out of parliamentary time if it is held up in the Lords.
Speaking in the aftermath of the Commons vote, she said: 'I would be upset to think that anybody was playing games with such an important and such an emotional issue.'
The proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
Nicola Sturgeon says she still misses Alex Salmond
Scotland's former first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that she still misses her mentor Alex Salmond 'in some way'. The pair formed one of the most successful political partnerships in UK history however their relationship deteriorated and then broke down after sexual misconduct allegations against him emerged. Following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2020, Mr Salmond was cleared of all 13 charges, which included attempted rape and sexual offences. In an exclusive interview with ITV News before the publication of her memoir Frankly on Thursday August 14, Ms Sturgeon said she misses the relationship she used to have with her mentor. And she said she was hit by a 'wave of grief' after hearing of his death in October last year. Speaking to ITV News at Ten presenter Julie Etchingham, she said: 'Even today I still miss him in some way, the person that I used to know and the relationship we used to have. 'But I thought I had made my peace with it, that I'd got to a point where I felt nothing. 'And then I got a call to tell me that Alex Salmond had died. I started crying on the phone and I just was hit by this wave of grief… and it was complicated because obviously we weren't just no longer friends, we were political enemies. 'There was no prospect I was going to be able to go to his funeral or anything like that and it was a kind of strange, strange feeling.' Mr Salmond went on to become leader of the Alba Party, which became a frequent critic of his former party the SNP. He died suddenly of a heart attack in October in North Macedonia at the age of 69. Ms Sturgeon, who succeeded him as Scotland's first minister in 2014, said: 'At the point he died, I hadn't spoken to him for years. 'I felt really deeply the loss of the relationship with him. I suddenly didn't have him. He wasn't there. I couldn't talk to him. And I went through this period of I would still talk to him in my head. 'I would have vivid dreams that we were still on good terms. And then I'd have this feeling of such sadness when I remembered the reality. 'So, I went through that process. I still missed him in some bizarre way.' During the interview Ms Sturgeon is also asked by Ms Etchingham about her description of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as 'odious' in her memoir. She said: 'This is my impression, other people might have a different view of him. He just comes across as somebody who's got a very, very fragile ego. 'Somebody who's not particularly comfortable, particularly around women. 'In the 2015 leaders debate just before we went on air that night, I just remember hearing him tell somebody how much he'd had to drink, in the green room area beforehand, and it just felt this kind of bravado and just not very pleasant.' Nicola Sturgeon: The Interview will broadcast on Monday August 11 at 7pm on ITV1, ITVX & STV. An extended version of the interview will be available on ITVX in the following days.
The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
Overhaul of road safety laws ‘much overdue', experts say
Motoring groups have hailed Government plans to overhaul road safety laws as 'much overdue' and 'a step in the right direction'. Ministers are considering cutting the drink-drive limit in England and Wales and introducing mandatory eye tests for older drivers, according to The Times. The proposals, set to be published as part of a road safety strategy in the autumn, also include tougher penalties for uninsured driving and failing to wear a seatbelt. On Britain's roads last year, 1,633 people were killed and almost 28,000 seriously injured in traffic incidents, and numbers have remained relatively constant following a large fall between 2000 and 2010. Edmund King, AA president, said: 'The time has come for a bold and proactive approach to road safety. 'This strategy is much overdue as road deaths have plateaued over the last decade. 'We believe these new measures will not only modernise our approach to saving lives but also provide renewed momentum in making our roads safer for everyone.' Vision checks for older drivers and targeting drink and drug drivers are 'practical steps that can make a real difference', he said. But failing to introduce limits on new drivers transporting peer-age passengers for six months is 'a major oversight', he added. IAM RoadSmart director of policy and standards Nicholas Lyes said: 'Given progress on reducing fatal and serious collisions has stalled in recent years, we welcome the UK Government's ambition to publish an updated road safety strategy with the reported measures being a step in the right direction. 'While many drivers over the age of 70 are safe and competent, health issues and confidence can have an impact on driving abilities, so it is sensible to review whether changes need to be made. 'We would also support reducing the drink-drive limit in England and Wales alongside measures to target drug-driving, however these would require significantly more backing for roads policing teams to effectively enforce new laws.' A Labour source said: 'At the end of the last Labour government, the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads was at a record low, but numbers have remained stubbornly high under successive Conservative governments. 'In no other circumstance would we accept 1,600 people dying, with thousands more seriously injured, costing the NHS more than £2 billion per year.' Meanwhile, the number of people killed in drink-driving incidents has risen over the past decade, reaching a 13-year high in 2022 and prompting concern that existing road safety measures are no longer working. Under the plans being considered by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, the drink-drive limit in England and Wales could be cut from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms. This figure would be in line with Scotland – which cut its drink-drive limit in 2014 – and the rest of Europe, where no other country has a limit as high as that in England and Wales. The UK is also one of only three European countries to rely on self-reporting of eyesight problems that affect driving, leading ministers to consider compulsory eye tests every three years for drivers aged over 70 and a driving ban for those who fail. Other proposals are reported to include allowing the police to bring prosecutions for drug-driving on the basis of roadside saliva tests rather than blood tests as increasing numbers of drivers are being caught with drugs in their system. The Labour source added: 'This Labour Government will deliver the first road safety strategy in a decade, imposing tougher penalties on those breaking the law, protecting road users and restoring order to our roads.' The strategy is due to be published in the autumn, and all proposals will be subject to consultation.
Telegraph
6 minutes ago
- Telegraph
The gut fixes to try and the ones to skip
'There are more pills than ever out there claiming to optimise, cure and treat all things gut health,' notes Dr Megan Rossi, the founder of The Gut Health Doctor. However, the gut health market – expected to be worth £47 billion globally by 2030 – isn't just a fad, it's based on solid science. Research has repeatedly shown that the status of our gut influences our overall health, from how well our immune system functions to our risk of having a heart attack. However, despite the proliferation of products promising to boost your gut health, there is no guarantee that pricey probiotic shots, herb blends or vitamins will keep your gut microbes happy or banish bloating. 'The vast majority of these products lack any solid scientific evidence to back up their claims,' Dr Rossi says. 'I think we're experiencing the wild west of gut health right now.' The reality is that no single product is a silver bullet for better gut health. 'The things that are going to make the biggest impact for looking after your gut health are just the simple, practical, everyday things,' says Dr Emily Leeming, a microbiome scientist at King's College London, dietician and author of Genius Gut. Here are the gut experts' take on the fixes to try – and the expensive fads to avoid. Try: Psyllium husk for diarrhoea or constipation 'Psyllium husk is a unique water-loving fibre,' Dr Rossi says. Made from the seeds of a plant grown in India, it is available in the form of powder or capsules that cost around 10p to 40p per dose. Dr Rossi, who has researched psyllium husk with a team at King's College London, found that it is poorly digested by the bacteria in the gut, unlike most other types of fibre. As it isn't broken down, it maintains its gel-like consistency as it travels through our digestive system. 'This explains why it has dual functionality – thickening up loose poops and softening hard poops, making it a supplement that you might want to consider if you are suffering from either constipation or IBS-related diarrhoea,' she says. It may also help improve other troublesome gut symptoms, such as incomplete evacuation, which is when you feel like you haven't completely emptied your bowels after a bowel movement, she notes. Dr Rossi recommends starting with half a tablespoon (3g) daily. 'If well-tolerated, you may want to increase to 1 tbsp per day after one week, and gradually increase up to a maximum of 3 tbsp per day,' she says. Try: Gut massages for bloating and gas You may raise your eyebrows, but a self-performed gut massage is a free and effective way to tackle uncomfortable gut symptoms, according to the experts. 'They can be beneficial for promoting gut motility [the movement of food through the digestive tract] and alleviating symptoms such as bloating, gas, and constipation,' says Dr Rossi. 'There's a specific technique,' Dr Leeming notes. The NHS recommends lying on your back, then placing your hand at the bottom of your stomach and stroking upwards 10 times. Next, stroke from the right hand side of your lower stomach, moving upwards and then over to the left side and down, repeating for two minutes. 'You're mimicking the pathway of your intestines to help you do a poo when you've constipation,' Dr Leeming explains. One review of 13 randomised controlled trials showed bowel massages improved the frequency and quality of stools. 'If constipation is an issue, dedicating five to 10 minutes in the morning could make a real difference,' Dr Rossi adds. Try: Fancy fruit, veg, beans and nuts to improve gut diversity It's our everyday diet that makes the biggest difference to our gut health and there are some small tweaks you can make to improve it. The main goal is to eat more fibre (aim for 30g per day) and get plenty of diversity into our diet, according to Dr Leeming. 'It could be an extra portion of fruit or veg each day, having a cup of beans daily or adding delicious herbs and spices to your meals,' she says. 'They're high in fibre and great for the gut microbes. 'With gut health, people think they have to have all this weird, wacky stuff that they don't like or enjoy. That's not the case. It all should be about enjoying delicious things.' Instead of spending money on supplements and powders, buy the fancier tomatoes, nuts, fresh rye bread and packets of pre-cooked mixed grains that will make you want to eat these gut-friendly foods, she suggests. 'Or berries, which are really expensive, but one of the best things we can do for our health is to eat them daily, whether fresh or frozen.' 'For the everyday person, it's about feeding your gut microbes the food they need to do their job well,' she notes. 'The most pricey foods I would get for gut health would be chia seeds or flax seeds. You don't need gut health supplements. There's no such thing as a silver bullet for your gut.' Try: Drink more water for regular bowel movements 'Hydration is so important for gut health – but, on average, we're not drinking enough water,' Dr Leeming says. Fluids help the food we eat move through the gut at a regular pace, while being dehydrated slows our gut transit time (the duration between eating something and it leaving our body), she explains. 'Your gut microbes are going to have less fresh food landing on their kitchen table in your gut,' Dr Leeming says. Failing to drink enough liquids (we should have around six to eight glasses per day) will also leave you feeling bunged up and tired, she notes. 'How you stay hydrated doesn't need to be anything fancy,' Dr Leeming adds. 'Tap water, tea and coffee all count.' Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that have been shown to have health benefits. They're sold as supplements and often described as 'good' or 'friendly' bacteria. However, the now-popular daily probiotics – you may have seen them sold as supplements in pharmacies and health shops, with promises to support the gut and digestion – can do more harm than good, warns Dr Rossi, who did her PhD on probiotics. Despite the buzz, most aren't just ineffective but may actually worsen symptoms like bloating. Additionally, research from her supplement company Smart Strains shows that three-quarters of people who take probiotics haven't noticed a meaningful improvement in health. 'That's not because probiotics don't work, but because we haven't been using them correctly,' she says. Like medicine, probiotics should only be taken when needed, such as after a course of antibiotics. While antibiotics are crucial for fighting bacterial infections, they don't distinguish between strains and therefore also wipe beneficial bacteria in our gut. However, the LGG strain of bacteria, when taken at a dose of 10 billion units (the amount in one capsule) twice a day while taking antibiotics and for one week after, has been shown to reduce diarrhoea, bloating and changes to taste, all of which are side effects from taking the medicine, she notes. 'Fermented foods as a whole are a really nice, cherry on top add-in to your diet,' Dr Leeming says. The category – which includes kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha and sourdough bread – is thought to support your gut microbiome and lower inflammation. However, while kombucha is a fermented tea and therefore rich in antioxidants called polyphenols, there are only a couple of human studies which have investigated its benefits – and the results haven't been dramatically positive, she notes. 'Supermarket kombucha is on my list of 'don't bother',' says Dr Leeming. Manufacturers tend to either pasteurise the product, so it contains less microbes, and they also tend to be higher in sugar, to make them more palatable. 'It ends up just being the same as many other fizzy drinks,' Dr Leeming says. 'Small batch producers tend to be of better quality,' she notes, with less sugar and more microbes. You can spot these products from mass-produced versions, as they usually need to be stored in the fridge, Dr Leeming says. Skip: Green powders Green powders, which can cost around £80 a month and are usually combined with water to have as a drink, often make bold promises that they will improve digestion and support the gut lining, as well as overall physical and mental performance. However, Dr Leeming doesn't recommend them. Despite being expensive and having long and fancy-sounding ingredient lists, 'it's not hugely different from taking an everyday multivitamin', she says. 'It's potentially a small benefit if you aren't already getting those nutrients from anywhere else in your diet but it's at a huge cost.' Another problem is that users frequently have green powders in the place of a meal. 'If you're having it instead of a proper breakfast that has protein, fat and fibre, which you need for whole body wellbeing, you're coming out at a net negative,' Dr Leeming explains. 'I'd much rather someone have an actual smoothie than a green powder juice.' Sea moss supplements are billed as being a potent source of live bacteria and fibre. 'It's been called a superfood for its 'prebiotics',' Dr Rossi says. However, they have a high carrageen content (which is used to make emulsifiers) and there is a lack of studies in humans showing that they offer any benefit. 'I'm not convinced,' she says. 'A daily portion of beans is a much better bet for real gut-loving prebiotics.' Collagen is another popular supplement. 'It's one of the things I'm asked about the most,' Dr Rossi says. 'Unfortunately, the standard products you see on shelves today, priced under £50, are usually very similar to gelatin, which is found in jelly, and are unlikely to be backed by scientific claims.' While there is growing evidence that some specific hydrolysed collagen may be beneficial for joint and skin health, these are not typically available in powder form and tend to be very expensive, she adds. Skip: Activated charcoal Commonly found in skincare products, activated charcoal is a fine black powder that acts like a sponge, absorbing toxins and other substances. 'It actually gets used in hospitals if someone's taken a poison because it binds to toxins and prevents them from being absorbed by the body,' Dr Leeming says. It is sometimes touted as a gut health product, as it is claimed that, when taken as a tablet or capsule, it absorbs bacteria in the gut that contribute to bloating and flatulence. 'The problem is that it also soaks up all the good stuff,' she explains. 'Things like nutrients and helpful bioactives. So that's not actually going to be doing anything great, if you're taking that on a regular basis.'
