Lords urged to scrutinise but not block assisted dying law

"The former justice secretary Lord Charlie Falconer, who is the sponsor of the Bill in the Lords, branded the current legal situation "confused", causing "terrible suffering" and lacking "compassion and safeguards". Lord Falconer reassured peers there would be "more than enough time" for scrutiny before the current Parliamentary session neded next spring and that he was "very open" to suggestions for how the Bill could be "further strengthened and improved"."

"Peers in the House of Lords have been reminded their job is to scrutinse, rather than block, the assisted dying Bill. MPs backed the Terminally Ill Adults Bill by a majority of 23, which means the legislation has been passed in principle and is now being examined before it likely becomes law. The red benches in the Lords were packed with a record number of requests to speak as two days of consideration began,"

MPs approved the Terminally Ill Adults Bill by a majority of 23, so the legislation has been passed in principle and is now under examination before likely becoming law. The House of Lords began two days of consideration with packed red benches and a record number of requests to speak, with the Commons sponsor Kim Leadbeater watching from the gallery. Demonstrators gathered outside in support and opposition. Lord Charlie Falconer described the current legal situation as confused, causing terrible suffering and lacking compassion and safeguards, and said there would be more than enough time for scrutiny and for further strengthening. He urged peers to respect the primacy of the Commons and to scrutinise rather than frustrate. Conservative peer Lord Forsyth said he changed his view after his father died in agony and blamed him for not allowing an end to his suffering.

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