The Labour MP pushing assisted dying laws has urged the Government to maintain ‘neutrality’ ahead of a House of Commons debate later this month.
Kim Leadbeater, who has introduced the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill to Parliament, intervened as more Cabinet ministers set out opposing views.
The Spen Valley MP said it had been ‘disappointing’ for ministers to criticise her Bill before reading it.
She also took a swipe at those who had speculated on what the consequences might be if Parliament did approve her proposed laws.
Ms Leadbeater spoke out after Health Secretary Wes Streeting warned implementing an assisted dying law could come at the expense of other NHS services.
He said there would be ‘resource implications’ for the health service and revealed he has asked his officials to carry out a cost analysis of any change.
Ms Leadbeater cautioned against letting ‘politicians detract from the issues’ and urged all involved to ‘pull back a little bit from the politician speaking’.
Meanwhile, a legislative expert has said Parliament is not being given enough time to debate Ms Leadbeater’s Bill.
Kim Leadbeater, who has introduced the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill to Parliament, intervened as more Cabinet ministers set out opposing views
Ms Leadbeater spoke out after Health Secretary Wes Streeting warned implementing an assisted dying law could come at the expense of other NHS services
A legislative expert has said Parliament is not being given enough time to debate Ms Leadbeater’s Bill
The Bill has support from the Dignity in Dying campaign group, members of which gathered outside Parliament last month
Ms Leadbeater’s proposed legislation aims to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales and has been introduced to Parliament as a private members’ bill.
She has described it as the ‘most robust’ legislation on this matter in the world.
Mr Streeting’s intervention was condemned by Labour peer Harriet Harman, who accused him of breaching the Government’s neutral stance on the issue.
Speaking to LBC radio about Baroness Harman’s criticism of the Health Secretary, Ms Leadbeater said: ‘The really important thing is that this is a free vote.
‘There are 650 MPs – every single one will get a vote. There are a range of views, there are a range of views across the Cabinet.
‘And there are a range of views within ministers and, indeed, all MPs. So I think it’s really important that the views of people are heard.
‘But equally that the Government maintains that position of neutrality when it comes down to what would happen if Parliament did choose to change the law.’
She added: ‘It’s important all those different voices are heard, the debate is had and, actually, what we do is try and maybe pull back a little bit from the politician speaking and listen to the people with lived experience of the current situation.’
Ms Leadbeater admitted it was a ‘difficult’ situation, but continued: ‘Let’s let the debate play out but let’s not let the politicians detract from the issues.’
Her Bill is due to have its second reading in the Commons on 29 November, when MPs are likely to vote on assisted dying for the first time since 2015.
But Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been accused by some MPs of ‘shortcutting democracy’ by not allowing more than one day of debate on the Bill before a vote.
Nikki da Costa, a former director of legislative affairs in No10, urged the Government to devote its own parliamentary time to the Bill in order to ‘give it enough time for debate’.
Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme whether Parliament was being given enough time to consider the Bill, she replied: ‘In my view no, for a Bill of this complexity – it’s 40 pages – and where the unintended consequences you might have are very severe.’
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