Dozens of MPs who voted in favour of Kim Leadbeater’s assisted suicide Bill have suggested they may withdraw their support over what medics’ involvement may be.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill intends to allow those in England and Wales deemed to be terminally ill and with less than six months to live to receive help to kill themselves.
It passed its Second Reading in the House of Commons with a majority of 55 votes, and is soon to be considered by a committee, but several MPs scrutinising it say it must change in order to progress.
Among other changes they hope to secure, MPs are particularly keen to ensure medical professionals are prohibited from suggesting assisted suicide to their patients.
The Guardian reports that as many as 30 MPs are prepared to withdraw their support if such assurances are not given, which could potentially cause the Bill to fail at its Third Reading.
One MP told the newspaper: “I was happy for it to progress, but there are concerns as well that I’ve got that will be addressed before it actually becomes law.”
They added: “I think that 55 majority will start [being chipped away at]. I think it will pass probably between 10 and 20 majority. And that then starts to make things potentially more difficult in the Lords.”
Labour MPs Chris Webb and Mike Tapp, both of whom voted for the Bill, are in favour of amending it to try to reduce scope for coercion.
Webb said that 60 per cent of 400 constituents who responded to his survey had indicated they want assisted suicide to be legalised, and that he had voted for it on that basis. But he added: “I do feel it needs further robust scrutiny and debate and I will consider my position in the ensuing stages while continuing to listen to all perspectives.
“I’m uncomfortable that it allows doctors to suggest to patients they could take their own lives and believe this needs to be removed from the bill.”
And Tapp told BBC News: “It should only be discussed if it is raised by the patient. This helps mitigate the risk of accidental coercion, or the perception of a hint, at a time of immense emotional distress and vulnerability.”
Former Cabinet minister David Davis also voted in favour of legalisation, but told the Commons: “I say to both the bill’s sponsors that it has a number of areas that they know I think they have to put right – about a dozen, in truth.”
He added: “After the ‘Do not resuscitate’ scandal during the Covid crisis, I do not want that at any price – I do not want the state initiating this process. That is critical for me.”