I've received a lot of letters about the Assisted Dying Bill, which is being debated by MPs this Friday. This is a Private Member’s Bill, which means it hasn’t been brought forward by Government but by another backbench MP. Assisted Dying is a hugely emotive topic, and I have been touched by many of the stories people have shared with me.
While I would normally spend Friday in the constituency, I have decided on this occasion to stay in Westminster to take part in the debate and vote. This is a subject that should come down to the individual conscience of each MP, and as such will be a free vote, with no interference from the party Whips. While I will attend and listen to the debate in the House, having considered both sides already set out and my own personal experience I currently intend to vote against this Bill.
In doing so I am not saying the current law is perfect; it isn’t. These problems can however be dealt with sensitively and sensibly without bringing in a new law that legalises euthanasia. As a society we must protect those at the end of their lives, and not risk exploiting those at a time of life when they can be the most vulnerable. New guidelines issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions have set a clear policy for deciding whether pursuing a prosecution for assisting suicide is in the public interest, and these guidelines have been commended by Parliament.
As your representative I am accountable to you. This is why I wanted to set out my position and invite your feedback, be it positive or negative. You can always e-mail me with your thoughts on this or any other issue to [email protected]. I will also be at my Street Stall at Morley ASDA on Saturday from 11am to 12pm if you’d like to discuss this or anything else with me in person.