Carla Lockhart MP said: 

“This Bill has been rushed through Parliament without proper scrutiny, and the concerns raised at the outset have now been fully exposed. MPs who have asked legitimate questions have been shut down, and disability rights groups representing tens of thousands of people have had their voices ignored. Their fears about the risks this legislation poses to vulnerable people have been dismissed as ‘noise’ by the Bill’s supporters.” 

“We have also seen deeply troubling developments during the Bill Committee process. The Chief Medical Officer for England, Sir Chris Whitty, had to correct inaccurate evidence he initially gave—evidence that was used to reject an amendment designed to strengthen safeguards. Meanwhile, the so-called ‘strongest safeguards in the world’ have been quietly abandoned. Instead of High Court oversight, decisions will now be made by a secretive panel with no requirement to sit in public or take evidence under oath. For a matter of life and death, this is completely unacceptable.” 

“Perhaps the most shocking revelation is the admission that assisted suicide could be granted on the grounds of financial burden to a person’s family. This is not about preventing extreme pain in the final days of life, as its supporters claim—it risks creating a society where ending one’s life is seen as a solution to economic hardship. We have seen from other countries that once assisted suicide is introduced, the number of people choosing to die because they feel like a burden increases dramatically.” 

“Even those who support the principle of assisted dying should be deeply concerned about the reckless way this Bill has been handled. These are decisions that cannot be reversed. Parliament must reject this dangerous legislation before it is too late.”