'Wes Streeting has disappointed me': Esther Rantzen hits out at Health Secretary over assisted dying
by Danielle de Wolfe · LBCExclusive
Assisted dying: Esther Rantzen explains why she's disappointed in the Health Secretary
By Danielle de Wolfe
Dame Esther Rantzen says she is "disappointed" in Wes Streeting following his "vocal opposition" to the assisted dying bill ahead of its first debate in Parliament.
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Speaking with Nick Ferrari ahead of Friday's debate, the TV presenter and assisted dying campaigner said she felt let down by the Health Secretary, having voiced his opposition to the bill after asking other ministers "not to campaign".
Dame Esther, 85, was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2023, and has previously appealed to the government to make time for Parliament to debate and vote freely on the matter.
Now, ahead of MPs debating the assisted dying bill on Friday, Dame Esther said MPs should be honest about their reasons for opposing a change in the law.
"I think this is an issue which shouldn't actually be decided by cost," she said, following comments made by Streeting over the financial implications of assisted dying.
"But certainly if this bill is passed during the committee stage, the government has said that they will ensure there is an analysis of the impact at all levels in all departments," Dame Esther told Nick.
The Health Secretary has reportedly already ordered officials to look at the cost impact of the bill on the NHS of implementing any changes in the law.
Assisted dying: Nick Ferrari hears from Dame Esther Rantzen
"And that is right," Dame Esther said, adding: "We need to know how to make it work efficiently, easily and well for everybody involved."
"Wes Streeting has disappointed me because ministers were asked not to campaign and he has been very vocal in his opposition.
"But there are other ministers in his department who take the opposite view, so I'm sure that it will be dealt with in a proper way."
Rantzen had previously hailed Labour MP Kim Leadbeater “an extraordinary person” after the Labour MP introduced an assisted dying bill to Parliament.
The MP for Spen Valley introduced the private members bill at the start of the month, saying the current law is "not fit for purpose".
It comes as Dame Esther noted she was "heartened" by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood publicly declaring that her religious beliefs had impacted her decision to oppose the bill.
Appealing to MPs, Ms Rantzen urged them to "please be honest about your real motivation".
Dame Esther Rantzen hails Labour's 'extraordinary' Kim Leadbeater for the assisted dying bill
"I am heartened by the fact that she has disclosed that that is her underlying reason. I mean, what worries me is the number of people who are guided by their faith. That's fine. That's their choice, whether they're evangelical Christian or Catholic," she continued.
"Yes, they have the right to choose. But please be honest about your real motivation. And some of them, I've noticed, have been claiming facts which are not facts, distorting evidence, when really their reason is that they believe, for faith reasons, religious reasons, that this bill should be opposed.
"We'll be honest about it. Please disclose your real reasons and then we understand your motivation."
The bill was formally introduced in Parliament on October 16, with the first debate on the bill set to take place on November 29.
The proposal would allow terminally ill, mentally competent people to end their own life.
Education Secretary Bridget Philipson has already told LBC she'll be voting against the assisted dying legislation.
It comes as the Justice Secretary said she believed the UK is on a 'slippery slope to death on demand' in a letter to constituents.
Discussing Ms Leadbeater on Tonight with Andrew Marr earlier this month, Dame Esther said: “She’s so impressive. She’s entirely motivated by the desire to make a positive difference for people.”
The 84-year-old Childline founder has been a prominent figure in pushing for the law change and revealed in December she had joined the Swiss Dignitas clinic.
When asked if her plan is to still travel to Dignitas alone at the end of her life, Dame Esther told Andrew: “Yes, absolutely. I don't assume that I will be around long enough for the law to change.
Watch Again: Kim Leadbeater joins Andrew Marr to discuss assisted dying
“Obviously, like everybody, I would like to die with an opportunity to say goodbye to the people who are closest to me, friends and family in my own home.
“I didn't think that I'd be around in time to see any change in the law. But if that were to happen that would be amazing.”
The bill marks the first time in almost a decade MPs have debated and voted on the subject in the House of Commons in almost a decade.
An assisted dying bill was defeated in the Commons in 2015 and a separate one was blocked in the Lords in 2021.
MPs will need to approve the motion but this is expected to be a formality.
Dame Esther had a phone call with Sir Keir Starmer before the Labour leader became PM, in which he vowed his commitment on the issue.
Discussing her conversation with the PM, Dame Esther said: “I was talking to him about whether we could do something about the current mess of a law, because the criminal law at the moment is in a terrible state, and it's clearly something that he knew about from his time as a DPP.
“I think he has some personal family experience. So, he told me of his personal support.”
Dame Esther Rantzen joins Nick Ferrari
Speaking to LBC’s Andrew Marr earlier this month, Ms Leadbeater said that the UK’s current approach to assisted dying is “not working” and can lead to “harrowing, unbearable deaths” for those suffering with terminal illness.
“I think there's a real appetite, both within the public and within parliament, for this subject to be debated,” she said.
Opponents to changing the law have argued some people could feel pressured to have an assisted death against their will, and have called for more focus on improving and ensuring equal access to palliative care.