Aphra Brandreth, MP for Chester South and Eddisbury, shared the following statement following the Second Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
Today, we voted on the Second Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which returned to the House of Commons as a Private Members' Bill.
I know how emotive, personal and important the debate on assisted dying has been. I have been contacted by thousands of residents and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has taken the time to write to me on this matter on both sides of the debate. Many of you have shared deeply moving stories of family members who have endured difficult and painful deaths and I know how upsetting this can be. Others have raised really important questions, shared with me their religious, spiritual or personal convictions surrounding the sanctity of life or expressed concern over the safeguards within the Bill.
I want to assure you that I took this extremely seriously. Coping with terminal illness is distressing and difficult both for the patient and their families. These cases are always moving and deserve the highest degree of compassion. I am clear that debates on assisted dying should never distract from the importance of delivering high-quality palliative care services.
Following the last vote, I outlined my reasons for supporting the Bill, primarily based on the principle of individual choice. I also made clear that my support was conditional on the inclusion of strong safeguards, alongside robust judicial and medical oversight. The Bill voted on today was as it was in the last Parliament, and would have continued to be subject to robust Parliamentary scrutiny, so I voted as I did before. However, a majority of MPs voted against the Bill today, meaning it will not progress any further through Parliament.
I want to be really clear. This Bill was not an alternative to palliative care provision. I am very grateful to our local hospices, including the Hospice of the Good Shepherd and St. Luke’s Hospice, for the incredible work they do to support people at the end of their journey. I have visited both hospices and have seen first-hand the work that the staff do to provide compassion and care and offer dignity to those who are at their most vulnerable. They are heroes. It is absolutely vital that hospices receive adequate funding to ensure their sustainability. They must always be a part of conversations on ‘end of life’ choices and I will be doing all I can in Parliament to continue to support their work.
Thank you again to everyone who took the time to write to me and for sharing your views so thoughtfully.
