People on both sides of the assisted dying debate have told Sky News how they feel about the outcome of today’s vote – and while some are popping open champagne, others are “incredibly disappointed”.
More than 300 MPs this afternoon backed a bill that gives people in England and Wales who have less than six months to live the right to apply for an assisted death.
Each request will be evaluated by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist.
Today’s historic vote means the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny before becoming law.
Following the landmark vote, individuals for and against it have shared their feelings on the result.
Frank Tate-Sutton – For
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Frank Tate-Sutton is terminally ill and told Sky News she’s relieved the bill has passed, even though the law won’t be changed in time for her.
“These are happy tears,” she said. “I am emotional. It’s a very difficult subject for everybody.”
Ms Tate-Sutton said her quality of life is “very important – and I’m losing it”.
“I don’t want to die without dignity, without it being my choice, without my family knowing that this is what I want,” she continued.
“As much as they [my family] want me alive, do they want to see me lying in my living room in a hospital bed, taking all these drugs, not being able to talk, not being able to control my bodily functions?
“That is not a life, for me – living on all the medications and not being able to exist without that… the side effects and everything.”
Mike Smith – Against
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Mike Smith is a spokesperson for the disability rights group Not Dead Yet – and he has been left “incredibly disappointed” by the outcome of the vote.
“This particular bill had so many failings in the way safeguards are constructed and the significant scope for coercion, whether it’s overt or subliminal,” he said.
Mr Smith says he fears some people will “end up ending their lives earlier than they should do or want to”.
“There are so many disabled people around the country that have told us they’re absolutely scared.”
“I think it’s this inherent fear people have about being disabled that drives this very emotional response on this really complex topic,” he explained.
“What we know is, with good palliative care, social care, access to housing and an income, many disabled people … can lead amazing lives.”
Rebecca Wilcox – For
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Rebecca Wilcox and her TV presenter mother Dame Esther Rantzen, who has terminal cancer, have long been campaigning for a change to the UK’s law on assisted dying.
Speaking from Parliament Square as fellow supporters of the bill popped champagne behind her, Ms Wilcox described today’s vote as “an extraordinary moment”.
“It means so much to me,” she said. “I spoke to mum and her one word to describe it was ‘wow’.
“She didn’t think she was going to live to see the debate, let alone a conclusion that went our way.”
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In response to concerns about safeguarding, she said it will “bring in layer upon layer of safeguards”.
“We’re going to have scrutiny upon scrutiny for every case and at the moment, there is no scrutiny,” she said. “Coercion could be happening as we speak.
“There is now protection for vulnerable people, by having this bill passed.”
Dr Gordon Macdonald – Against
Dr Macdonald said the bill passing with a majority of 23 – less than half what its second reading achieved – is proof that “the more people have thought about this issue, the more they’ve had doubts”.
The doctor, who is the CEO of anti-euthanasia organisation Care not Killing, said: “We will see what happens when it gets to the [House of] Lords, the Lords will hopefully give it more rigorous scrutiny than happened in the Commons”.
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His biggest concern is “for people who are vulnerable, who will feel pressure to end their lives”.
“That might come from external forces, but it’s more likely to just be internalised pressure,” Dr Macdonald said.
“They’ll feel they’re a burden on their family and friends, conscious of the cost of care, and think they should do the decent thing, as they would see it in that thinking.”
It’s “of course a terrible message for society to send out to people,” he said.
