Latest news with #MarkusCampbellSavours
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Penrith MP indicates he will vote against assisted dying bill
A Cumbrian MP has indicated that he is likely to vote against the assisted dying bill - despite previously voting for it. The Labour MP for Penrith and Solway Markus Campbell-Savours told the BBC that he still is "a supporter of assisted dying" but said the proposed bill crosses a 'red line' in protecting the vulnerable. Cumbria's MPs were split on the issue when it was first voted on in parliament with Josh MacAlister (Whitehaven and Workington, Labour) and Markus Campbell-Savours (Penrith and the Solway, Labour) voting for the bill and Julie Minns (Carlisle, Labour), Michelle Scrogham (Barrow, Labour) and Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale, Liberal Democrat) all voting against the bill. Opponents to changing the law have argued some people could feel pressured to have an assisted death against their will and have called for more focus on improving and ensuring equal access to palliative care. Campaigners who are terminally ill or have watched loved ones die in pain have called the existing legislation 'unbelievably cruel' and pointed out that animals suffering severely can be legally euthanised. Since the last vote, Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP behind the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, has brought forward amendments for a so-called 'judge plus' system, after hearing concerns during expert evidence sessions last month. She has now proposed a judge-led Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission that she said would give a greater role to experts, including psychiatrists and social workers, in overseeing applications. The commission would be led by a High Court judge or a senior former judge and receive all applications and reports from two independent doctors, which would then be referred to a three-member panel chaired by what has been described as a senior legal figure. READ MORE: RSPCA issues warning after cat dies of antifreeze poisoning in Cumbria | News and Star "I want to see safeguards that will ensure that assisted dying is not overextended to include those in situations where there are alternative ways to improve the quality of their lives," said Mr Campbell-Savours to the BBC. "I would also be very concerned if legislation produced a situation where people who considered themselves a burden on their families and friends felt pressured to end their life."
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Labour support for assisted dying law falls as more MPs switch position to oppose change over coercion fears and effect on vulnerable people
Labour support for legalising assisted dying appears to be falling as more MPs publicly question the law change. The Commons will next week debate changes to the plan to allow terminally ill people with less than six months to live to end their own lives, ahead of a crunch vote later this month. But fresh concerns have been raised about the The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill that is being led through Parliament by backbencher Kim Leadbeater. Opponents have complained the Bill does not have enough protections and has been rushed through, with the criticism coming days after two royal medical colleges voiced their doubts on the legislation in its current form. And now even supporters of the principle of legalising assisted dying are questioning the process. Labour MP Markus Campbell-Savours, who voted for the bill in a preliminary vote last year, told the BBC he now planned to vote against it because in its current form it crossed his 'red lines for protecting the vulnerable'. 'I want to see safeguards that will ensure that assisted dying is not overextended to include those in situations where there are alternative ways to improve the quality of their lives,' said Campbell-Savours. 'I would also be very concerned if legislation produced a situation where people who considered themselves a burden on their families and friends felt pressured to end their life.' The Commons will next week debate changes to the law allowing terminally ill people with less than six months to live to end their own lives, ahead of a crunch vote later this month. And fellow Labour MP Josh Fenton-Glynn told the broadcaster he will vote against the bill, having abstained last year. 'We see quite a few of the amendments which are specifically aimed at stopping coercion being opposed by the supporters of the bill,' he said. 'I don't think chances to make the bill safer have been taken.' At the end of November last year, the Commons backed the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill by 330 votes to 275, a majority of 55 votes. But campaigners believe enough have changed their mind to put its chances of becoming law onto a knife-edge. 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. This would be subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. The terminally ill person would take an approved substance, provided by a doctor but administered only by the person themselves. The implementation period has been doubled to a maximum of four years from royal assent, rather than the initially suggested two years. If the Bill was to pass later this year that would mean it might not be until 2029, potentially coinciding with the end of this Government's parliament, that assisted dying was being offered. A Government impact assessment published last month estimated that between 164 and 647 assisted deaths could potentially take place in the first year of the service, rising to between 1,042 and 4,559 in year 10. The establishment of a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commissioner and three-member expert panels would cost an estimated average of between £10.9 million to £13.6 million per year, the document said. It had 'not been possible' to estimate the overall implementation costs at this stage of the process, it added. While noting that cutting end-of-life care costs 'is not stated as an objective of the policy', the assessment estimated that such costs could be reduced by as much as an estimated £10 million in the first year and almost £60 million after 10 years.
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Growing number of MPs changing their mind on assisted dying
Opposition to a bill which would legalise assisted dying in England and Wales is growing among MPs, the BBC has Assisted Dying Bill was supported by 330 MPs last year, passing its first major vote in the House of Commons with a majority of 55 MPs from a wide range of political at least a dozen MPs who backed it or abstained in November have now said they are likely to vote against bill would allow terminally ill adults with less than six months to live to receive medical assistance to die Supporters remain confident it will eventually become law but it faces further parliamentary tests. The bill is a private members' bill, sponsored by backbench Labour MP Kim have been given a free vote on it, meaning they can decide based on their conscience rather than having to follow a party have spent the past few months examining it in detail, with more than 500 amendments of these changes will be voted on by MPs next Friday - and a final Commons vote will take place in the summer, before it heads to the House of Lords for further Campbell-Savours, the Labour MP for Penrith and Solway, is one of those who has said he's now likely to vote against the bill after previously supporting said he still considers himself "a supporter of assisted dying" but believes the current bill crosses "red lines for protecting the vulnerable"."I want to see safeguards that will ensure that assisted dying is not overextended to include those in situations where there are alternative ways to improve the quality of their lives," said Campbell-Savours."I would also be very concerned if legislation produced a situation where people who considered themselves a burden on their families and friends felt pressured to end their life."Fellow Labour MP Josh Fenton-Glynn also plans to vote no, having previously abstained."If you'd asked me at any point in my life what I thought of assisted dying, I'd have always said in favour," he told the has suggested a number of amendments to the bill, and claims he is "still open to supporting" the plans, but doubts it will change after Leadbeater blocked previous similar attempts."We see quite a few of the amendments which are specifically aimed at stopping coercion being opposed by the supporters of the bill," he said, adding: "I don't think chances to make the bill safer have been taken."The two MPs have added their names to a growing list of their colleagues who have suggested they will switch sides including: Tory former minister George Freeman, Tory MPs Mike Wood and Andrew Snowden, Lib Dem Brian Matthew, Labour's Jonathan Hinder, Reform UK chief whip Lee Anderson and ex-Reform MP Rupert MP Debbie Abrahams and Tory MP Charlie Dewhirst, who abstained previously, will vote Karl Turner, who voted in favour at second reading, is now MP David Davis has not announced how he plans to cast his next vote, but has publicly backed a number of amendments that would make sweeping changes to the bill. Some MPs have also changed their stance, by supporting the bill. Minister Chris Bryant is understood to be backing it, having abstained in November. Labour MP Jack Abbott, who voted against last November, is also now likely to vote in who were hesitantly supportive are now more firmly in Saville Roberts, the leader of Plaid Cymru at Westminster, said she was initially concerned but supported the principle of assisted dying."I think the safeguards have got stronger," she said. "They have been improved through the bill committee and through the evidence that we heard."One of the changes made as the bill was scrutinised was allowing Senedd members a vote on whether it will apply in Wales. Despite opposition, supporters expect the bill to clear the Commons and go on to the House of backing the bill do not expect many MPs to reverse their views - but with such tight margins, efforts to shore up support are in full major threat, for supporters of the bill, is MPs deciding to return home to their constituencies instead of to a quirk of the parliamentary system, private members' bills are normally debated on Fridays - a day when MPs are normally in their is also growing concern that the government cannot afford to keep giving it parliamentary Labour source told the BBC: "Given the huge amount of difficult issues the government face, from winter fuel payments and Personal Independence Payment to defence and special educational needs and disabilities spending, a tight vote on assisted dying becomes a real problem."Lots of MPs think No 10 would be unwise to expend political capital continuing with this very divisive issue rather than choosing to fix the stuff we got elected to sort." Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond.
