Labour Leader supports Assisted Suicide

Sir Keir Starmer has said that there are “grounds for changing the law” around assisted suicide. The leader of the Labour Party voted in favour of its introduction in 2015, the last time an assisted suicide bill was brought in the House of Commons.

Sir Keir said, “On the question of assisted dying, there are obviously strong views both ways on this, which I respect.

“Traditionally this has always been dealt with through a Private Members' Bill and a free vote, and that seems appropriate to me."

He also said, "I personally do think there are grounds for changing the law.”

While he was Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Keir softened the guidelines around prosecuting those who had assisted in a suicide (such as taking a family member to Dignitas), making prosecution less likely.

Assisted Suicide has been brought back to the fore of the news headlines this week, after Esther Rantzen revealed that she had joined the Dignitas clinic. Currently undergoing treatment for cancer, she said that if it didn’t work, “I might buzz off to Zurich.”

When Parliament last voted in 2015, the Bill was defeated by 330-118. 11 MPs who are currently part of Sir Keir Starmer’s Shadow Cabinet supported the Bill, with 8 who are part of it opposing it.

The Health and Social Care Committee will soon be publishing its report into Assisted Suicide in England and Wales, having collected responses to gather different perspectives on the issue.