Esther Rantzen reacts to defeat of assisted dying bill
Dame Esther Rantzen labelled the parliamentary vote against the assisted dying bill as a “tragic day”. The bill, which aimed to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales, was rejected by MPs, prompting Rantzen’s heartfelt response, reports BritPanorama.
The former broadcaster, who has been a prominent advocate for law reform, expressed her disappointment after MPs voted 286 to 270 against the legislation, reversing a previous approval in June last year. Speaking from outside Parliament via her daughter’s phone, Rantzen conveyed her sadness that terminally ill individuals in the UK lack choices available to their counterparts in other nations.
“I am sure a change in the law will come. I am deeply sad that it won’t come soon enough for many of the people who need it,” she stated. Her daughter, Rebecca Wilcox, who also campaigned vigorously for the reform, described her devastation at the vote but affirmed her commitment to continue the fight for assisted dying rights.
Wilcox remarked, “I don’t think it’s a vandalism of democracy, I think it’s a demolition of democracy.” Rantzen, who has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, had called upon MPs to support the bill during its second reading.
Having reported her intention to seek assisted dying in Switzerland at a clinic called Dignitas, Rantzen revealed this week that she is currently too weak to travel there and complete her plans for assisted dying.
She shared her concerns about the impact of her condition on her loved ones, saying, “I’m having to go through now… suffering pain or indignity which will inevitably get between them and our shared happy memories.” She called the current laws surrounding assisted dying “messy and cruel”.
After her diagnosis, Rantzen intensified her advocacy efforts, previously accusing members of the House of Lords of “blatant sabotage” that could prevent the assisted dying bill from succeeding.
Labour MP Lauren Edwards, who sponsored the recent proposal, condemned the vote as “hugely disappointing” and “heartbreaking” for those awaiting change. She cautioned that it could take another decade before lawmakers consider the issue again.
Opposition to the bill included statements from prominent religious leaders, including Archbishop Richard Moth and Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally, who described the legislation as “wrong in principle” and fraught with potential risks for vulnerable individuals.
As the debate continues, campaigners have raised concerns that inadequate safeguards could expose vulnerable individuals to undue pressure to opt for assisted death.
The outcome of the vote underscores the contentious nature of assisted dying legislation in the UK, a matter that remains deeply divisive among lawmakers and the public alike.
