My vote on the Assisted Dying Bill

In the end, after much deliberation, I voted against. This was not a decision I reached lightly and I set out my reasons below.

First, let me briefly explain what happens now. The Bill will be examined by a committee of MPs and may be amended. It will then come back to the Commons for further votes and amendment at “report stage” and “third reading”. If agreed, it will go through a similar process in the House of Lords, followed by a “ping pong” between the Commons and Lords prior to a final vote, likely to be in early summer 2025.

I am very grateful to the many hundreds of people who took the trouble to write to me to vote for or against, often offering deeply moving arguments based on their own experience.

I am hugely sympathetic to the view that people with only six months to live should have a choice about ending their own lives while they are still able to do so. I appreciate how cruel the current situation can be.

Alongside this, I’ve spent 20 years campaigning for better services and new rights for Disabled people and their families. As a councillor in Hammersmith & Fulham I championed the principles of co-production and “nothing about us without us”.

From numerous representations and conversations, it is clear to me that many Disabled people are terrified about the prospect of assisted dying being introduced, given their lifelong experience of being treated as second-class citizens.

They fear that the rules will change in future or that they will one day feel such a burden on others or on society that their life should be ended for the greater good.

Coercion isn’t always by others – people can put themselves under pressure as a result of being made to feel less valid throughout their lives.

At first, I considered voting for the Bill in the hope it could be amended with safeguards that addressed my concerns. But after a great deal of reflection, I felt it was unlikely this could happen. Now that the Bill is going forward, I would of course be delighted to be proved wrong.

At each stage of the Bill as it progresses, I can assure you I will be reviewing the situation and considering my vote in light of the amended Bill as it stands at the time.

Meanwhile, as your Member of Parliament, I will continue to campaign for Disabled people and all those who may receive less good treatment as a result of prejudice to be valued and treated equally.

One final point. A very positive aspect of the discussion so far around this Bill has been the renewed focus on improving the palliative care and end-of-life pain relief on offer in our country. I intend to play a full role in keeping this debate alive and pressing for the improvements needed.

Best wishes

Ben