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| Esther Rantzen did not expect to live to see assisted dying bill | |
| (2 months later) | |
| Childline founder Esther Rantzen wants assisted dying to be legalised | Childline founder Esther Rantzen wants assisted dying to be legalised |
| Dame Esther Rantzen has said she thought she would be "long gone" by the time MPs debated assisted dying. | Dame Esther Rantzen has said she thought she would be "long gone" by the time MPs debated assisted dying. |
| The broadcaster previously revealed she had joined Dignitas, the assisted dying clinic in Switzerland, after a terminal lung cancer diagnosis. | The broadcaster previously revealed she had joined Dignitas, the assisted dying clinic in Switzerland, after a terminal lung cancer diagnosis. |
| The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which would allow some people to have a medically-assisted death, will be discussed in the House of Commons later. | The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which would allow some people to have a medically-assisted death, will be discussed in the House of Commons later. |
| While Dame Esther wants the law to change, those opposed fear people could feel pressured into ending their lives. | While Dame Esther wants the law to change, those opposed fear people could feel pressured into ending their lives. |
| Esther Rantzen spoke to BBC Radio Solent's Lou Hannan ahead of the bill's second reading | Esther Rantzen spoke to BBC Radio Solent's Lou Hannan ahead of the bill's second reading |
| Assisted dying generally refers to a person who is terminally ill receiving lethal drugs from a medical practitioner, which they administer themselves. | Assisted dying generally refers to a person who is terminally ill receiving lethal drugs from a medical practitioner, which they administer themselves. |
| It is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. | It is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. |
| Under the bill, adults expected to die within six months could seek help to end their life. | Under the bill, adults expected to die within six months could seek help to end their life. |
| Two doctors and a High Court judge would need to agree they were eligible. | Two doctors and a High Court judge would need to agree they were eligible. |
| Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who is behind the bill, said it could prevent "distressing" deaths. | Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who is behind the bill, said it could prevent "distressing" deaths. |
| Dame Esther said she told Ms Leadbeater the current laws in the UK were "terrible" and "cruel" because they forced people to travel to Switzerland alone to die. | Dame Esther said she told Ms Leadbeater the current laws in the UK were "terrible" and "cruel" because they forced people to travel to Switzerland alone to die. |
| The Childline founder, who lives in the New Forest in Hampshire, said if her family went with her, they risked being prosecuted for assisting her death. | The Childline founder, who lives in the New Forest in Hampshire, said if her family went with her, they risked being prosecuted for assisting her death. |
| "I would much rather be able to die in my own home surrounded by people who are close to me," she said. | "I would much rather be able to die in my own home surrounded by people who are close to me," she said. |
| "But that choice won't be open to me, because even if we get a 'yes' vote in this debate... you can't get through the next stage in under a year. | "But that choice won't be open to me, because even if we get a 'yes' vote in this debate... you can't get through the next stage in under a year. |
| "And my miracle drug is working jolly hard but I can't expect it to keep me alive for a year." | "And my miracle drug is working jolly hard but I can't expect it to keep me alive for a year." |
| Dame Esther said she told Ms Leadbeater the current laws in the UK were "terrible" | Dame Esther said she told Ms Leadbeater the current laws in the UK were "terrible" |
| Recently former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown joined the list of people publicly opposed to a new law on assisted dying. | Recently former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown joined the list of people publicly opposed to a new law on assisted dying. |
| Brown's first daughter, Jennifer Jane, died at 11 days old, which he said did not convince him of the case for it. | Brown's first daughter, Jennifer Jane, died at 11 days old, which he said did not convince him of the case for it. |
| Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was worried the law would risk ill people feeling "guilt-tripped" into ending their own lives. | Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was worried the law would risk ill people feeling "guilt-tripped" into ending their own lives. |
| The British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing are neutral on the issue. | |
| What is assisted dying? | What is assisted dying? |
| What is in the proposed assisted dying law? | What is in the proposed assisted dying law? |
| How does assisted dying work in other countries? | How does assisted dying work in other countries? |
| Dame Esther said she was surprised she was still alive to see the bill debated. | Dame Esther said she was surprised she was still alive to see the bill debated. |
| "To my astonishment, I appear to be still here and it's happening," she said. | "To my astonishment, I appear to be still here and it's happening," she said. |
| Although she believes she will not live long enough to take advantage of a new law, she said she wanted to protect other families from "the same agonising experience". | Although she believes she will not live long enough to take advantage of a new law, she said she wanted to protect other families from "the same agonising experience". |
| "In the olden days, doctors would ease you out of life and the difference was it wasn't necessarily with your consent," she said. | "In the olden days, doctors would ease you out of life and the difference was it wasn't necessarily with your consent," she said. |
| "It wasn't part of the built-in safeguards, but in this new bill, it will be." | "It wasn't part of the built-in safeguards, but in this new bill, it will be." |
| The bill has to be approved by MPs and peers before it can become law, with the first debate and vote taking place later. | The bill has to be approved by MPs and peers before it can become law, with the first debate and vote taking place later. |
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