Kim Leadbeater “Disappointed” By Wes Streeting’s Assisted Dying Comments
Kim Leadbeater MP first introduced her assisted dying bill to the House of Commons on Wednesday 16 Oct. (Credit: Ian Davidson/Alamy Live News)
4 min read
Exclusive: Labour MP Kim Leadbeater has said she is “disappointed” by Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s comments on her assisted dying bill.
Streeting told Times Radio on Wednesday that legalising assisted dying – as proposed by Leadbeater in her Private Members’ Bill – would have “resource implications” that would “come at the expense of other choices”.
“To govern is to choose. If Parliament decides to go ahead with assisted dying, it is making a choice that this is an area to prioritise for investment. And we’d have to work through those implications,” he said.
Responding to the Health Secretary’s comments in an exclusive interview with The House magazine, Leadbeater said: “I’m disappointed that the Health Secretary came out to speak about the bill before he had even seen the bill, and a couple of comments that were made on the media this morning would suggest he hasn't read the bill. So, that is disappointing.”
Asked whether she accepted Streeting's argument about spending priorities, the MP for Spen Valley said: “I disagree with that.
“We have to take a holistic approach to this issue, but what we also have to do is look at the specific issue that we're addressing through this piece of legislation, and that is the inequity of the current situation around the choice of end of life and the current lack of a legal framework. That's the issue that we're trying to address.”
The Labour backbencher emphasised that debate should not be stifled but also said she found it “quite disappointing and quite upsetting” that some Cabinet members have been vocal in their opposition to her bill.
Leadbeater told The House: “The important thing is that this debate happens, and everybody is absolutely entitled to their different views on the issue.
“But I have found it disappointing that some members of the Cabinet have spoken out very vocally on the issue, and others have done as instructed and not expressed their views. So, I’ve found that quite disappointing and quite upsetting.
“But equally I'm not the sort of person to stifle debate and have conversations. That's really, really important.”
An ally of Streeting told PoliticsHome: “Wes has approached this issue in a genuine, thoughtful and considerate way, setting out his own view while respecting others’ views.”
Leadbeater's Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was published on Monday evening. It will be considered by MPs at Second Reading on Friday 29 November, before going on to further stages in the parliamentary process.
Cabinet Secretary Simon Case wrote to ministers last month telling them they "should not take part in the public debate", as the government position is neutral and assisted dying is considered a matter of conscience.
MPs will be allowed a 'free vote' meaning they will not expected to follow a party line.
Since then, however, Streeting has confirmed that he will vote against the bill because he does not believe the palliative care system is good enough. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones has said he will abstain or vote against it on the basis that he does not think a Private Members' Bill is the right way to change the law on assisted dying.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is thought to be personally in favour of the change. Cabinet members Ed Miliband and Lisa Nandy are among those planning to vote for the bill.
Streeting has ordered the Department of Health to review the costs of implementing any change in the law on assisted dying, PA reported on Wednesday.
After a speech at the NHS Providers conference in Liverpool, the Health Secretary said there were “choices and trade-offs”, and that “any new service comes at the expense of other competing pressures and priorities”.
"Now that doesn't mean people should vote against it on that basis. People need to weigh up this choice in the way that we're weighing up all these other choices at the moment,” he added.
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