Labour MP Says Assisted Dying Bill Should Return to House of Lords
Lauren Edwards, who reintroduced the terminally ill adults bill, argues in a Guardian opinion piece that peers should not block legislation she says has strong public support.
Labour MP Lauren Edwards has written an opinion article in the Guardian arguing that the assisted dying bill should be sent back to the House of Lords, and that peers should not block what she describes as a “popular, compassionate piece of legislation.”
Edwards, the MP for Rochester and Strood, said she has reintroduced the terminally ill adults bill in parliament. In her piece, she wrote that she was elected two years ago at a time when the country was seeking change from parliament, and said there is now “one last chance to prove we can deliver on people’s priorities.”
According to Edwards, assisted dying was not part of the manifesto on which she was elected, and she said such conscience matters are rightly left to individual MPs. She noted that views on the issue vary across all political parties.
Edwards cited what she called reputable independent polling showing support for assisted dying at approximately 75% over an extended period. She referenced the British Social Attitudes survey from the National Centre for Social Research, which she said found “a continued high level of public support for legal change to allow assisted dying in some circumstances.”
The article frames the upcoming consideration by the House of Lords as a pivotal moment for the legislation, with Edwards arguing that the will of the elected House of Commons should not be frustrated by what she characterized as a small minority of peers.
Sources
- I am sending the assisted dying bill back to the Lords – and this time, peers must do the right thing | Lauren Edwards — The Guardian — Politics
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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