The MP behind a move to legalise assisted dying has branded an attempt to stop the legislation in its tracks through a “wrecking” amendment “disappointing and wrong”.
Kim Leadbeater told BBC Breakfast that a move by MPs to halt the Bill going through the Commons “showed parliament in a bad light”.
The Bill calls for terminally ill people in England and Wales, who are expected to die within six months, to be given the right to choose to end their life.
If the Bill is passed, the UK would join the likes of Switzerland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the US state of Oregon in enabling people with terminal illnesses to end their own lives if they wish.
MPs are due to debate the legislation for five hours on Friday, with a vote expected at the end on whether it should pass through to be scrutinised by a committee.
But an amendment revealed on Tuesday, backed by six cross-party MPs, has raised concerns about the level of debate and scrutiny of the Bill and called for an “independent assessment” of the provision of palliative care.
If it is selected by the Speaker, the Bill would not go to a second reading.
Ms Leadbeater said the development was “disappointing”.
She told the BBC: “The route of the private member’s bill is absolutely the right route for taking this legislation through. That means that there can be a free vote by all MPs. It is not a Government Bill.
“The Government has a neutral position on this and, sadly, the amendment that a handful of MPs have put forward is disappointing in that the public clearly want this debate to take place, and I think we’ve got responsibilities as parliamentarians to make sure that that debate does take place.”
Three former Tory Prime Ministers – Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Theresa May – have signalled their opposition to the Bill alongside Health Secretary Wes Streeting. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously voiced his support for legalising assisted dying, but has not revealed how he will vote on Friday.
Labour MP Anna Dixon, who co-signed the amendment, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We basically want time for more detailed scrutiny of this.”
Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson, who is backing the amendment, told PA that she is “concerned about the process or lack thereof” over what could be a “monumental change in legislation”.
