Mother of the House delivers powerful speech as 1,000 doctors urge MPs to reject ‘unsafe’ legislation ahead of crucial vote
DIANE ABBOTT was visibly emotional as she delivered a stark warning against the assisted dying bill during today’s heated Commons debate, declaring that people will “lose their lives who do not need to” if the controversial legislation passes.
The Mother of the House fought back tears as she told MPs that the “poorly drafted” bill poses a deadly threat to society’s most vulnerable, warning it could lead to unnecessary deaths among marginalised communities.
“I have heard talk today about the injustices of the current situation,” Abbott said, her voice wavering with emotion. “What could be more unjust than to lose your life because of poorly drafted legislation?”
The veteran Labour MP delivered her powerful intervention as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill returned to Parliament for further debate, with a crucial vote expected around 2pm that could see the legislation move to its final stages.
‘PEOPLE WILL LOSE THEIR LIVES’
In a particularly moving moment, Abbott warned: “There is no doubt that if this Bill is passed in its current form, people will lose their lives who do not need to – and they will be amongst the most vulnerable and marginalised in our society.
Her emotional plea came as it emerged that around 1,000 doctors have written to MPs calling the legislation a “real threat” to both patients and the medical workforce.
The doctors’ letter, published this week, describes the bill as “simply not safe” and urges lawmakers to listen to those “who would have to deliver the consequences of this deeply flawed Bill.”
MEDICAL REVOLT AGAINST BILL
The extraordinary intervention from the medical community warns: “As experienced medical professionals who regularly work with dying patients and who have reviewed the worldwide evidence on assisted dying, it is our opinion that this Bill poses a real threat to both patients and the medical workforce, and we urge you to vote against it.
They added: “This Bill will widen inequalities, it provides inadequate safeguards and, in our collective view, is simply not safe.”
The Royal College of Physicians has said it believes there are “concerning deficiencies” in the legislation, while the Royal College of Psychiatrists said it has “serious concerns” and cannot support the Bill.
STARMER BACKS CONTROVERSIAL CHANGE
Despite the mounting opposition, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer continues to support the Bill – though it remains a free vote, meaning MPs can vote according to their conscience rather than along party lines.
The legislation, brought forward by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, would give people in England and Wales with fewer than six months to live the right to end their own life, subject to approval by two doctors and an expert panel.
Last November, the bill passed its second reading by 330 votes to 275 – a majority of 55. But opponents hope that at least 28 MPs will switch their votes to stop the bill proceeding to the House of Lords.
DAME ESTHER’S CONTROVERSIAL CLAIM
The debate has been reignited by comments from Dame Esther Rantzen, the 84-year-old TV legend battling terminal lung cancer, who suggested many MPs opposed to the Bill have “undeclared personal religious beliefs which mean no precautions would satisfy them.
Her remarks sparked fury, with Labour’s Jess Asato calling them “distasteful and disrespectful” and Florence Eshalomi branding them “frankly insulting” to those who have raised legitimate concerns about how the law would work within the “broken” NHS.
DIVIDED PARLIAMENT
The bill has created deep divisions across all parties. Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood both voted against it in November, while Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has voiced her continued backing.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he welcomes the doctors’ letter, stating: “I have real concerns about the pressure on individuals, that they will put on themselves, if they think they are a burden on their family.
He added: “I hope, as time has gone on, as the arguments have been better exposed, that MPs will switch sides and join the side that I and many MPs are on.”
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
MPs are expected to vote on remaining amendments today, with the final vote on the overall legislation potentially not taking place until next Friday, June 20.
If passed, the bill would move to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. If rejected, supporters warn it could be a decade before Parliament considers the issue again.
The legislation has already undergone significant changes since November, including replacing a High Court judge safeguard with a three-member expert panel and doubling the timeframe for implementation to four years.
PROTESTERS GATHER OUTSIDE
As the emotional debate raged inside Parliament, campaigners on both sides gathered outside Westminster, with supporters holding placards reading “Let us choose” while opponents carried signs declaring “Don’t make doctors killers.”
The historic vote comes as similar legislation progresses in Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Jersey, potentially creating a patchwork of different laws across the British Isles.
Abbott’s tearful warning echoes her previous stance from November when she argued that MPs in 1969 decided “on a point of principle” that the state should not be involved in taking a life when it voted to abolish the death penalty, adding: “It was a good principle in 1969 and it remains a good principle today.
UK Parliament / Jessica Taylor. “House of Commons debating Brexit deal – 19 October 2019.” Official photo taken in the House of Commons, London, during a special Saturday sitting to debate the Brexit withdrawal agreement. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
