Last week, Parliament voted on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. I received hundreds of emails, campaign cards, and letters, and there was a huge response to my online survey. I respect the strongly held beliefs on both sides, and I am grateful to everyone who shared their deeply personal experiences with me.
I had to think deeply about this issue, and the views and values of Bassetlaw people have contributed to my thoughts. I have a photo of myself in my office of me as a young woman with a placard saying, ‘our bodies, our rights, our right to decide’. It is my fundamental belief that each individual should have a choice and control over how they manage their lives, and if you carry this principle through, this should include at the end of life. Having listened to the thousands of people who have contacted me, legal experts, medical professionals, disability charities, and faith groups, I voted for the Bill last week.
I continue to have some concerns about the Bill and will address these as it makes its way through the law-making process in parliament. These include access to good palliative care, having enough GPs available to coordinate the assessment and ensuring that the High Court decision is a timely one. I want to also ensure that assisted dying is not a service that only the rich can use. It must be open to all people who want to take that route.
I appreciate that this may be a disappointment for some residents, but there will be further opportunities to amend this Bill as it goes through Parliament and I will continue to listen to local people.
In the past week, I spoke to GB news about what drives me as a Member of Parliament, especially tackling violence against women and girls. My experiences have given me a deep strength and the energy to use my time in Parliament to fight for change. We all have to take responsibility, we can no longer turn a blind eye or tolerate those who abuse women and girls. It starts with language and ends with violence. It has to stop.
