Pinned post
Today, I shared the most personal of stories publicly for the first time about my Mum’s impossible bind and lack of real choice in the late-stage of her terminal illness last year.
I will let my speech, and her story, speak for itself here.
This vote today was on whether we continue our work on this or not — not a final vote that would have seen this Bill come into law.
I voted for the Bill to proceed for further consideration, like last time, but this was not the majority vote, this time.
I’m disappointed that we cannot continue our consideration of this at this time, and then have been able to take a final view, like last time.
I want to be clear that I fully respect and appreciate that there are different views on this issue. I’m grateful to every fellow resident who has been in touch to share theirs, and engaged with me and one another with care and consideration on this.
My lived experience has made my belief in the principle of choice for terminally ill adults crystal clear.
But regardless of my experience, my job is to be legislator. I would never vote for a Bill if I felt it were unsafe. Indeed, amendments of mine to the previous version of this Bill were accepted unanimously by MPs, with different viewpoints and from different political parties.
I will always listen, and consider such decisions deeply.
I hope that no matter whether we share the same view on the principle of this issue, this approach is welcome.
It’s impossible for any two people to agree all of the time, but that’s doesn’t mean any of us have anything other than the best of intentions.
I’m glad that I did what I could today to speak up for my Mum, and others with terminal illnesses who want to have choice over their life and their death. It was tough, but I know it’s what she would have wanted.
The hardest part, though, is knowing that more people will now have to go through this same experience as my Mum, me, and my whole family, before this next comes back to the Commons - and I truly wouldn’t wish this on anyone.
I will let my speech, and her story, speak for itself here.
This vote today was on whether we continue our work on this or not — not a final vote that would have seen this Bill come into law.
I voted for the Bill to proceed for further consideration, like last time, but this was not the majority vote, this time.
I’m disappointed that we cannot continue our consideration of this at this time, and then have been able to take a final view, like last time.
I want to be clear that I fully respect and appreciate that there are different views on this issue. I’m grateful to every fellow resident who has been in touch to share theirs, and engaged with me and one another with care and consideration on this.
My lived experience has made my belief in the principle of choice for terminally ill adults crystal clear.
But regardless of my experience, my job is to be legislator. I would never vote for a Bill if I felt it were unsafe. Indeed, amendments of mine to the previous version of this Bill were accepted unanimously by MPs, with different viewpoints and from different political parties.
I will always listen, and consider such decisions deeply.
I hope that no matter whether we share the same view on the principle of this issue, this approach is welcome.
It’s impossible for any two people to agree all of the time, but that’s doesn’t mean any of us have anything other than the best of intentions.
I’m glad that I did what I could today to speak up for my Mum, and others with terminal illnesses who want to have choice over their life and their death. It was tough, but I know it’s what she would have wanted.
The hardest part, though, is knowing that more people will now have to go through this same experience as my Mum, me, and my whole family, before this next comes back to the Commons - and I truly wouldn’t wish this on anyone.
4:35
