More great news, as the Assisted Suicide Bill in the Westminster Parliament also falls, joining the Scottish Bill which was voted down last week.
The multimillionaire lobbyists behind these Bills are spreading an untrue story that the Westminster Bill failed because it was ‘talked out’ by opponents in the House of Lords. This story is objectively untrue for the following reasons.
Firstly, Private Members Bills, like the Assisted Suicide Bill, *cannot* be used to make complicated, extensive or controversial changes to the law. Private Members Bills have very limited time for debate and scrutiny because they are intended only for simple, uncontroversial changes to the law. A Private Members Bill could never successfully make huge and really profound changes to the law of murder and how the NHS works. It was incompetent and futile for the lobbyists to introduce this Bill in the first place. Now, they are simply trying to blame Parliament and Parliamentarians for their own errors.
Secondly, the Assisted Suicide Bill has been very extensively changed by its own sponsors as it moved through Parliament. Over 200 lengthy and complex amendments were tabled in the House of Lords alone by the Bill’s own sponsor, Lord Falconer. Additionally, Lord Falconer accepted that many further amendments were necessary when challenged by Peers. This proves that the Bill was badly drafted and unfit for purpose as a piece of legislation. Peers have the job of scrutinising law in close detail to make it fit for purpose. It is not Peers’ fault if a Bill is presented which is so flawed that it requires extensive changes.
Thirdly, the lobbyists are loudly saying that opponents of the Bill ‘filibustered’ or made long unnecessary speeches to prevent the Bill making progress. But statistical analysis of what Peers actually did in the Lords proves otherwise. Speeches were short and to the point. The Bill’s own sponsor frequently accepted the criticisms put forward in debate. There is no evidence to support the lobbyists’ claim of filibustering.
BuDS stands by its policy statement of 2023 which says that there needs to be an informed and fair national debate about euthanasia and assisted suicide before any legislation is reintroduced, if indeed that needs to happen. There are many unresolved issues that must be settled, and public opinion needs to be honestly canvassed about the options really available. BuDS looks forward to continuing to robustly defend the interests of disabled people in that debate.
Thankfully, however, we can say goodbye to these rushed, inadequate and dangerous Bills driven by lobby groups with far too much money.