Labour MP could bring forward assisted dying bill

A backbench Labour MP is considering bringing forward a bill to parliament to”reform our archaic assisted dying laws”.

Each year, MPs from across the Commons enter a ballot that gives them a chance to bring forward their own legislation – known as private members’ bills.

And one of the 20 to get on this year’s list is Rother Valley’s Jake Richards.

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The MP, who only won his seat at this summer’s general election, posted on X after the results were confirmed to make clear the issue he wanted to pursue.

“Subject to procedure and those ahead of me [on the list], I’ve made it clear that my first preference for a bill would be to reform our archaic assisted dying laws, working with [campaign group] Dignity in Dying and others,” he wrote, adding: “The time has come.”

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While private members’ bills rarely become law, there have been some notable exceptions when the government has got behind them, from legalising abortion through to giving British Sign Language a legal status.

Shortly after he got into power, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed he backed having a free vote on the issue in the Commons, meaning MPs could choose to vote with their conscience, rather than along party lines.

But in 2023, when he was leader of the opposition, he said he believed there were “grounds for changing the law”, having voted in favour of legalising it back in 2015.

Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to being charged with murder or other offences.

The issue came back to prominence earlier this year after journalist and campaigner Dame Esther Rantzen revealed she had signed up to the assisted dying clinic, Dignitas, due to her stage four lung cancer.

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She said under current UK law, her family could be left at risk of prosecution if they helped her to go to Zurich, where assisted dying is legal, something she branded “not right” and “not ethical”.

But those who oppose a change warned it could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a burden on others, and argued the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk.

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MPs debated assisted dying in April after a petition backed by Dame Esther received over 200,000 signatures, but there was no binding vote on a change in law.

The last time that happened was in 2015, but proposed changes to the law were defeated at the second reading stage by 330 votes to 118.

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A total of 20 MPs won the ballot to be able to bring forward private members’ bills during this parliamentary session, which will be debated on Fridays.

A number of the successful backbenchers have told Sky News they will be taking time to decide what issue to pursue, with Labour’s Clive Lewis asking for the thoughts of his followers on X.

But another Labour MP, Ruth Jones, said she planned on pursuing something to do with animal welfare.

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