Letter from Mark Langabeer, Hastings and Rye Labour member
In my opinion , socialists should support the right to die at the moment of their choosing. There needs to be safeguards. The current proposals would limit assisted death to those with terminal illnesses. They would require agreement from two doctors and a judge. I don’t regard this issue as simply a moral one.
Those who can’t endure the pain and suffering any longer, will travel to Switzerland for assisted death. The organisation that assists in this is Dignitas, a non-profit organisation, but it still costs around £15,000 and this is unaffordable for the poorest.
In my view, it’s a class question, similar to the right of women to have abortions. Before legalisation changed, working class women were forced to turn to back street abortionists, people who were not qualified but performed abortions for money.
Wes Streeting and Gordon Brown are opposed to assisted dying and t hey argue that there needs to be better paluitive care. They are right on this, but it doesn’t alter the fact that those who choose assisted dying should have that right.
It appears that some with disabilities fear that they could be coerced into assisted dying because they are regarded as a ‘burden’ on society or to their families. That certainly is a sad state of affairs. However, I think that most working people show empathy to those with disabilities. I have an obvious disability myself (I am an amputee) and most people offer only kindness. People with disabilities are equal contributors to society, and not a burden.
On balance, I think Labour MPs should support this bill because it has the necessary safeguards. Why should only the wealthier sections of society have the right to choose, and not the the poorest?
