Disabled activists warned that a bill to allow assisted suicide for people with a terminal illness would pressure disabled people to end their lives prematurely, and that too little time had been set aside to understand its “far-reaching” implications.
Disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) from across England and Wales have united to warn of the grave risks of proposed new legislation that would allow assisted suicide for people with a terminal illness. They believe parliament’s focus should be on improving access to health, care and other services. And they have outlined their ethical and human rights concerns in a briefing sent to MPs.
Kim Leadbeater’s terminally ill adults (end of life) bill received its first reading in the House of Commons yesterday (Wednesday) and is now set to be debated by MPs on 29 November. The bill would “allow adults who are terminally ill, subject to safeguards and protections, to request and be provided with assistance to end their own life”.
Ellen Clifford, co-ordinator of the UN monitoring coalition, told Disability News Service (DNS):
“Parliament only gets one go at this and if they get it wrong the consequences will be very dangerous both for individual people vulnerable to abuse and society as a whole. Our support services – palliative care, the NHS, social care and mental health – are currently broken. The government must get on and fix the foundations, so we all have the chance to live with dignity.”
Not Dead Yet UK (NDY UK), a grassroots group of disabled activists who campaign against legalisation, said laws introduced in other countries have started with “relatively strict parameters” but then “expand and expand”.
Phil Friend, co-convenor of NDY UK, explained:
“ … in a world where there is growing awareness of coercive control, and where we know that many do not receive adequate or appropriate medical care, pain management or social care, we are creating the conditions for people to find themselves agreeing that, yes, they should probably die, including to avoid feeling like a burden.”
Paula Peters, a member of the national steering group of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), said the proposed bill had caused “deep concern and alarm for many disabled people”. She added:
“It is impossible to put strong enough safeguards in place to prevent coercion and feeling that we have become a burden on our families and the state. We fear that non-disabled people will be making choices about what is best for us and that our voices will be dismissed as they often are.”
Members of the UN Monitoring Coalition include The Alliance for Inclusive Education, All Wales People First, Disabled People Against Cuts, Disabled People Against Cuts Northern Ireland, Disability Rights UK, Disability Wales, Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, Liberation and The Omnibus Partnership in Northern Ireland
DPOs who have spoken out against the Bill include Not Dead Yet UK (NDY UK), Disability Rights UK, All Wales People First, Liberation, Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Disability Wales and the Coalition of UK DPOs that monitor implementation of the UN Disability Convention.
Description of cartoon for those using screen reading software
A balding, white male wheelchair user is travelling through a cemetery. A small sign in front of him says ‘Plots for Sale’. A larger sign alongside of him reads ‘Special discount – government discount for those disabled people who apply to take their plot earlier by signing a ‘do-not-resuscitate’ notice’.
Crippen Cartoons 