This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine.
I saw my brother suffer a prolonged, painful, undignified death in an NHS hospital – distressing for his family, nursing staff, fellow patients. All so unnecessary. Why could he not have been given the help to die that he begged for? No one would blame a soldier ending the life of a terminally wounded compatriot, shot to pieces and dying on a battlefield. No one campaigns to stop vets putting dying dogs or horses out of their misery.
I’m glad to say that over 70 per cent of the British public support assisted dying, but this has been a bruising time for those of us in the UK who want to see the law changed. The Scotland bill fell after a thoughtful debate. Scotland at least reached a decision, albeit not the one the majority of Scots wanted.
The Westminster process has been less admirable. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, overwhelmingly supported by the public and approved by the House of Commons, was expected to pass through the Lords – whose role is to scrutinise and improve legislation, not cynically bury it. But the bill’s failure was deliberately engineered.
A handful of unelected peers tabled the bulk of more than 1,000 amendments, ensuring the bill would collapse through lack of time to get through them all. When a bill runs out of time, it falls. As this has.
Several lords, on both sides of the argument, were outraged at the blatant abuse of process, damaging not only the bill but to the reputation of Parliament.
Harmful as the result may be for democracy, it is personally devastating for those dying Britons who had hoped for the comfort of knowing that they could, if needed, opt for a peaceful death.
So, now what? Well, the fight goes on. Organisations like Dignity in Dying and My Death, My Decision won’t give up. Nor should they. The tide is with them, despite opposition from some MPs, including my own son Danny Kruger, who I politely disagree with.
Many countries have introduced assisted dying laws: Canada, much of the United States, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, with others besides and more are on the way. Closer to home, the Isle of Man and Jersey have changed the law. We are the laggards.
How come all those countries where assisted dying is legal do not suffer the dire consequences the bill’s opponents dread? The Commons’ Health and Social Care Committee, which examined the matter and reported back to the house, found no evidence of coercion by greedy families or by institutions wanting expensive old people out of the way. And not one country has sought to repeal their law.
Today four per cent of deaths in Canada are by euthanasia. Our opponents claim this is proof of the law not protecting people. But I see it as proof of real success, allowing those wanting to be done with life to get peace. Canadians are proud of their law and on the whole, support it.
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It’s such a shame. If a handful of unelected lords had not been up to their tricks, we could already be calmly facing a painless, peaceful death at a time and place of our choosing.
MPs are already setting out their intention to reintroduce the bill as soon as is practicable, determined to finish the job they started; a move I am sure will have support from voters.
When this debate inevitably continues, those lords who seem to have misplaced their humanity had better find it again. How about a bit of compassion, m’luds?
If they still won’t budge, then it is essential that the Government steps in by invoking the Parliament Act – a seldom-used measure designed to prevent just such undemocratic blocking – to ensure this bill can be seen through to its proper conclusion.
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Dame Prue Leith’s 2023 documentary Prue and Danny’s Death Road Trip is available to watch on Channel 4.
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