Law to enable terminally ill people to receive help in ending their life needs ‘much greater consideration,’ according to MP Sir John Hayes who voted against the proprosal.
Calling the bill, voted through by the House of Commons on Friday ‘imperfect,’ he said any promised safeguards would be ineffective.
“We know from tragic experience that wherever assisted suicide laws have been introduced, there have been numerous case studies revealing vulnerable people being pressurised to end their lives prematurely,” he said when writing for the Conservativehome website.
He said the bill, proposed by Kim Leadbetter, would be no exception to the ‘fallacy’ of safeguards protecting vulnerable people .
“It is troubling hat this measure is being rushed through Parliament – to a degree, at a speed I’ve only witnessed in my 27 years in the House of Commons in the case of emergency legislation,” he said.
“Despite all the assurances from its advocates, the proposed legislation’s ‘safeguards’ will, in practice, prove ineffective,” he added.
MPs voted by 330 in favour of supporting assisted dying, with 275 against. It was a free vote and has months of scrutiny ahead when amendments can be made in either the Commons or Lords.
- Breaking News
