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| Assisted dying bill rejection shows MPs 'out of touch' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MPs are out of touch with public opinion on the "right to die", a Labour member has said, after the Commons voted to reject a bill to legalise it. | |
| Newport West MP Paul Flynn called for a referendum, saying 80 percent of people were in favour of assisted dying. | |
| But Baroness Finlay, an expert in palliative care, said MPs had "decided decisively" the bill was "dangerous". | |
| During the debate, Bridgend MP Madeleine Moon was in tears as she spoke of caring for her late husband. | |
| Under current UK law, anyone encouraging or assisting a suicide or suicide attempt could face up to 14 years in prison, if a decision was taken to prosecute. | Under current UK law, anyone encouraging or assisting a suicide or suicide attempt could face up to 14 years in prison, if a decision was taken to prosecute. |
| Wolverhampton Labour MP Rob Marris had introduced a bill to allow competent adults in England and Wales who are terminally ill to able to choose to be provided with medically supervised assistance to end their own life. | Wolverhampton Labour MP Rob Marris had introduced a bill to allow competent adults in England and Wales who are terminally ill to able to choose to be provided with medically supervised assistance to end their own life. |
| The bill was rejected after four hours of debate on its second reading in a packed House of Commons on Friday, with 330 MPs voting against it and 118 in favour. | The bill was rejected after four hours of debate on its second reading in a packed House of Commons on Friday, with 330 MPs voting against it and 118 in favour. |
| Members of the Scottish Parliament rejected a similar bill in May. | Members of the Scottish Parliament rejected a similar bill in May. |
| Public opinion | Public opinion |
| Among those speaking was Bridgend MP Madeleine Moon, who was in tears as she spoke of five years caring for her late husband, who had motor neurone disease. | |
| "I saw when life changed to be a burden," she said, urging MPs to pass the bill for more detailed analysis at the committee stage. | |
| "This bill would not have affected him, but I believe that it is Parliament's job to look at the will of the people and to consider the difficult choices in front of society," she said. | |
| Speaking to BBC Wales after the vote, Mr Flynn called for a referendum on the issue. | Speaking to BBC Wales after the vote, Mr Flynn called for a referendum on the issue. |
| "There'll be a sharp reaction to this from the public, as the decision does not reflect the opinion of over 80 percent of people who want to have some choice over the time and manner of their death," he said. | "There'll be a sharp reaction to this from the public, as the decision does not reflect the opinion of over 80 percent of people who want to have some choice over the time and manner of their death," he said. |
| "If you're rich you can go to Switzerland to make the necessary arrangements, but if you're not, you're denied that." | "If you're rich you can go to Switzerland to make the necessary arrangements, but if you're not, you're denied that." |
| During the debate, Mr Flynn read an emotional letter from a constituent who said his wife had starved herself for three weeks as "the only way she could help herself to die". | During the debate, Mr Flynn read an emotional letter from a constituent who said his wife had starved herself for three weeks as "the only way she could help herself to die". |
| However, opponents of the bill welcomed the result of the vote. | However, opponents of the bill welcomed the result of the vote. |
| Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, a former Welsh government adviser on palliative care and a vocal opponent of assisted dying, said: "The House of Commons have looked at this in detail, and they have decided decisively that this is dangerous and have thrown it out. | |
| "The problem for the public is that they have been fed multiple soundbites - it is quite right that the bill has been decisively rejected." | "The problem for the public is that they have been fed multiple soundbites - it is quite right that the bill has been decisively rejected." |
| Former Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Lord Carlile, co-chair of the think tank Living and Dying Well, said it was a "welcome decision". | Former Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Lord Carlile, co-chair of the think tank Living and Dying Well, said it was a "welcome decision". |
| "Mr Marris's bill was proposing a major change to the criminal law and to the fundamental 'do no harm' principle that underpins all medical practice," he said. | "Mr Marris's bill was proposing a major change to the criminal law and to the fundamental 'do no harm' principle that underpins all medical practice," he said. |
| "Before any such change could be seriously contemplated, clear evidence is needed that the law as it stands is defective and that a change in the law would not put vulnerable people at risk of harm. | "Before any such change could be seriously contemplated, clear evidence is needed that the law as it stands is defective and that a change in the law would not put vulnerable people at risk of harm. |
| "Parliament has recognised today that no convincing case has been presented on either count." | "Parliament has recognised today that no convincing case has been presented on either count." |
| Pryderi ap Rhisiart, a friend from Bangor of cancer sufferer Bob Cole, who went to Switzerland to end his life in August, had called on MPs to back the bill and allow terminally ill people the choice to "die with dignity" in their home community. | Pryderi ap Rhisiart, a friend from Bangor of cancer sufferer Bob Cole, who went to Switzerland to end his life in August, had called on MPs to back the bill and allow terminally ill people the choice to "die with dignity" in their home community. |