Labour MP behind assisted dying law rebukes Wes Streeting

The Labour MP behind the assisted dying law has attacked Wes Streeting for dismissing her Bill without reading it.

Kim Leadbeater said the Health Secretary's criticism of the plan - which is set to be subject of an historic Commons debate and vote on November 29 - was 'quite upsetting'.

The comments came after Mr Streeting repeatedly waded in to make clear his personal opposition to the measures - despite the Cabinet Secretary urging ministers to be low-key about their views. 

He has raised concerns about heaping costs on the NHS, and warned of a 'slippery slope' if people feel compelled to end their lives.

The interventions are seen as having reduced the chances of the Private Member's Bill clearing its second reading at the end of the month. As it is an issue of conscience, MPs are being given a free vote rather than whipped by their parties. 

Speaking to The House magazine, Ms Leadbeater said it was 'disappointing' that Mr Streeting's remarks 'would suggest he hasn't read the Bill'.

'I think the important thing is that this debate happens, and everybody is absolutely entitled to their different views on the issue,' she said.

'But I have found it disappointing that some members of the Cabinet have spoken out very vocally on the issue, and others have done as instructed and not expressed their views. So, I've found that quite disappointing and quite upsetting.'

Ms Leadbeater added: 'We have to take a holistic approach to this issue, but what we also have to do is look at the specific issue that we're addressing through this piece of legislation, and that is the inequity of the current situation around the choice of end of life and the current lack of a legal framework. That's the issue that we're trying to address.' 

In the Commons today, Leader of the House Lucy Powell tried to fend off anxiety about a lack of time to consider the Bill.

She said if it cleared second reading the legislation would 'likely' spend 'several weeks' at committee stage, where MPs can table amendments.

The Bill would then not be expected to reach its final stages in the Commons until April next year at the earliest, she added.

Her remarks came after the Government faced calls to guarantee the Bill receives a two-day report stage lasting 16 hours to enable MPs to consider amendments, amid fears they will not be able to debate the issue fully.

Only terminally ill adults with under six months to live who have a settled wish to end their lives would be eligible under the proposed Bill, described by Ms Leadbeater as the 'most robust' in the world.

Mr Streeting said yesterday that there was a 'chilling slippery slope argument' if people felt compelled to end their own lives as a cost-saving measure.

He said: 'Now that we've seen the Bill published, I've asked my department to look at the costs that would be associated with providing a new service to enable assisted dying to go forward, because I'm very clear that regardless of my own personal position or my own vote, my department and the whole government will respect the will of Parliament if people vote for assisted dying.'

Mr Streeting stressed he had 'enormous respect for Kim Leadbeater and many of my friends and colleagues who are taking a different view to me, including people I normally agree with on almost everything else'.