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In a few hours, the UK could legalise the right to die
November 29, 2024
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The British Parliament voted against legalising assisted dying in 2015. Today activists will try again.
A private member’s bill introduced by Kim Leadbeater could lead to one of the most important decisions made by the British parliament in the 21st century -- possibly the most important. At a moment in history when human life is cheap, when human dignity is undervalued, legal assisted suicide and euthanasia will create an even more toxic culture.
Lobbying for the bill has been intense. Dignity in Dying UK has even placed enormous posters in the London Underground, especially in at Westminster station, where MPs step off the Tube.
Terminally-ill people who are still travelling on the Underground must find this incredibly disconcerting. One of these posters depicts a vivacious young woman tossing her hair as if she were posing for a shampoo advertisement. She’s obviously not at the end of her tether, but the message of the ad is autonomy rules!
This assisted dying advert is in circulation on the #London Underground.
— PaperboyAnon (@PaperboyAnon) November 26, 2024
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Autonomy is the theme of all of Dignity in Dying’s messaging. “All [we] are asking for is choice,” says its CEO.
One of the most prominent advocates of the Leadbeater bill is Dame Esther Rantzen, a former TV presenter. She may be terminally ill with Stage IV lung cancer, but she projects a raddled glamour. But it is not the glamorous and well-connected who will become victims of this bill. It is the lonely, the unaccompanied, the depressed, the demoralised, and the poor who will be nudged to take an early exit to spare themselves and everyone else a truckload of trouble.
There are people whose death is accompanied by intractable suffering. But significantly “dying in terrible pain” is seldom mentioned by Dignity in Dying. For a very sound reason – most of the people who take advantage of right-to-die legislation in places like Canada and Oregon do not choose to die because of pain, but because their life lacks meaning.
Autonomy is inadequate on two counts. First, all of our decisions are subtly conditioned by other people. It may be the raised eyebrow of a doctor or social worker; a nephew’s insistence that uncle has been suffering too long; or the meanness of estranged children. It may be a consensus amongst Right-Thinking People that it is The Right Thing To Do.
Second, our decisions touch the lives of other people. Some relatives are sure to feel deeply pained by a decision to take an early exit. Other patients in a nursing home may feel intimidated by muffled whispers about a sudden death in Room 17. Paradoxically, though, supporters of assisted dying never concede that terminally ill owe anything to anyone for the consequences of their choices, other than to themselves.
No wonder they were not ashamed to display those gigantic posters in the Tube. Critics have asked, rightly, whether they are appropriate in the London Underground, where dozens of people commit suicide every year by jumping in front of the trains.
The British Parliament has immense moral influence. If this bill succeeds, it is very likely that assisted dying or euthanasia will be legalised in Scotland and Ireland, in more American states, and in other European countries. The world could slip into, to quote a well-known British MP, Winston Churchill, “the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science”.
Would you vote for assisted dying?
Michael Cook is editor of Mercator.
Image credits: from X (Twitter)
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mrscracker commented 2024-12-03 11:46:18 +1100I’m so sorry Mr Fedders. Of course I meant Farenheit, Not Celsius. I neglected to make that clear. 🙂
Thank you for answering my question about conscientious objection. I appreciate it. -
Emberson Fedders commented 2024-12-03 11:13:21 +1100Mrs Cracker, when I first read 30 at night I assumed Celsius! Cold nights where you are.
In Australia, Voluntary Assisted Dying laws are in place in all states, and medical professionals with a conscientious objection have the right not to participate.
These laws were carefully considered before they passed, and I think they are working well. -
mrscracker commented 2024-12-02 23:18:38 +1100Hello back Mr. Fedders. What a blessing to visit the beach on the last day of November! It’s been in the 30s here at night but still above freezing thankfully.
It would depend whether there are any carve outs for protection of the rights of conscience. We have an insurance group here in the States that bills itself as an advocate for the elderly. Several years ago they lobbied to oppose freedom of conscience for healthcare professionals and pharmacists in matters like euthanasia.
Do you know how that works in Australian states as far as conscience rights ? Thank you. -
Emberson Fedders commented 2024-12-02 14:21:37 +1100Hello Mrs Cracker. First days of summer here, and a marvelous visit to the beach on Saturday.
Does the legislation mandate that a doctor must assist someone to die? -
mrscracker commented 2024-12-01 02:45:08 +1100Good morning Mr. Fedders. I hope this finds you well and enjoying your weekend. We are still dining on Thanksgiving leftovers here. 🦃
I believe you are correct about suicide one way but a "medically assisted "death affects more than the individual taking their own life.
Jumping off a bridge doesn’t usually require the assistance of others. But being mandated to provide lethal doses of medication makes health care providers and everyone else in that chain complicit in killing.
Of course divorce and feticide aren’t decisions solely involving one individual either. But that’s a different conversation. -
timothy coyle commented 2024-11-30 12:40:40 +1100Somewhat self centred views. There are many many very vulnerable demoralised terminally ill people very prone to the suggestibilty of VAD. And why are so many doctors, in Australia, so keen to dispatch these people by lethal injection.?
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Juan Llor Baños commented 2024-11-30 02:28:07 +1100incredibly good article!!
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Anon Emouse commented 2024-11-30 01:54:30 +1100I always find it troubling when right to life activists insist that one does not have a right to “die with dignity” – they want people to be forced to live out their lives…which means that there isn’t an inherent “right to life” if you don’t have the option to not exercise it.
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David Young commented 2024-11-29 19:40:09 +1100My father, a medical doctor by profession chose to die. He had cancer of the bowel. His condition was identified in hospital in Ayr, Scotland. My father said to the medical team who opened him up to identify his condition: “If you find what I think you are going to find, close me up again and don’t provide any medication”. He was 73. It was 1984. My uncle telephoned me in Harare, Zimbabwe and told me that my father wished to see me before he died. I took the next plane out to London on to Glasgow and then by bus to Ayr. My brother in Australia and my sister in Bahrain did the same. We were able to see my dad in his hospital bed and talk with him about the good and the bad times. “I wanted to see you while I could still talk with you” said my dad. “Don’t come back for the funeral. It is so much better that we can see each other and say goodbye with love and remembrance”. Three days later I said good-bye to him and flew back to my home in Harare. To this day I treasure the memories of those last few days in Ayr where I could speak with my dad and thank him for the wonderful start in life that he gave me. Now I am 80 years old. I have many friends around me dying as we all reach that time in our lives. I think often of what death will be like for me and my wife of nearly sixty years together. Will I go first? How will she handle my death? Will she go first? How will I handle her death? Will one of us or both of us suffer pain and a lack of quality of life before we go? What should we do? I have three sons and six grandsons scattered around the globe. Will they get to be with me before I go or not? When you are young and healthy you don’t think of these things. I don’t have the answers to assisted dying. I just know that I want to go quickly and quietly but like my dad, I want to have a conversation with my sons before I do. And preferably face to face and not on WhatsApp!
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Emberson Fedders commented 2024-11-29 17:58:26 +1100Someone’s opinion on X is just that.
I’d rather you didn’t assume I’m not capable of making my own decisions. And I certainly don’t want you making my decisions for me.
Michael, if you feel like you will be pressured into ending your own life, that’s really on you. It has nothing to do with me. -
Michael Cook commented 2024-11-29 17:02:48 +1100There’s not too much point in trading links, etc. But this article was much too short. Here is a journalist at the left-leaning Observer.
https://x.com/acadofideas/status/1862094209395597577 -
Paul Bunyan commented 2024-11-29 16:44:58 +1100If our decisions should be limited because we could be influenced by others, then no one should be allowed to choose anything, including what clothes to wear or what to eat.
All of our decisions are influenced by others. What a nonsensical argument.
The bill is about individual choice and compassion, not about “bumping off grandma” because the costs are too high. -
Michael Cook commented 2024-11-29 16:28:21 +1100Well, I mentioned two limitations on autonomy. Your comment questions the first. What about the second?
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Emberson Fedders commented 2024-11-29 16:15:12 +1100Michael Cook seems convinced that people are incapable of making decisions for themselves, whether it be euthanasia, abortion or divorce.
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