News / Carmichael to back assisted dying bill at latest vote
A VOTE on whether or not to allow terminally ill people in England and Wales to end their lives early is the toughest Shetland’s MP has faced, he says.
Alistair Carmichael will support the Labour Party’s assisted dying bill at Parliament tomorrow (Friday) at its second reading.
The highly contentious bill would allow anyone aged 18 and over, who lives in England and Wales, to ask for medical help to end their life – if they are expected to die within six months.
They must also be deemed to have made the wish “free from coercion”, and have to satisfy two independent doctors that they are eligible.
A similar bill is also currently before MSPs in Holyrood, which would allow terminally ill people in Scotland to end their life. It was brought to Holyrood by Orkney MSP Liam McArthur.
Photo: Hans J Marter/Shetland News
Carmichael said tomorrow’s vote on whether or not to approve the assisted dying bill in Parliament was the hardest he has had to make in his 23 years as MP.
“Over the years I have had to vote on many difficult decisions in the House of Commons, including over the invasion of Iraq and leaving the European Union,” he said.
“This bill far exceeds any of those other votes and I will not take my responsibilities lightly.
“I know this to be true for every other MP with whom I have discussed it.”
MPs have a free vote tomorrow, meaning they are able to make their own decision on whether or not to approve the bill – free of party orders.
Carmichael said he would be supporting the bill at its second reading, pointing to the Dignitas assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland – which has helped around 570 Britons to die in the last 25 years.
“My starting point in reaching this view is that we have already effectively decriminalised assisted dying for those who have the means and determination to go overseas to do it,” he said.
“For that reason I feel that the current debate is necessary. I think it is wrong for the United Kingdom to ‘offshore’ an issue that is as morally and ethically important as this.
“The most important parts of the legislation centre around the safeguards.
“We only get to the stage of testing these safeguards if the bill passes its second reading vote on Friday and then goes to committee for review.
“If I am not satisfied on the robustness of those safeguards then I shall not support the bill at its final stage of votes.”
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