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Assisted suicide law is barking and should be changed, says ex-minister
Sophie Goodchild and Anna Davis31 Jul 2009
A former Labour health minister today revealed he would be prepared to risk jail to help a terminally ill relative die abroad.
Norman Warner, a respected peer, said he would accompany a relative to the Dignitas suicide clinic in Switzerland and denounced Britain's laws on assisted suicide as “absolutely barking”.
His comments come a day after a landmark ruling forcing Britain's law chiefs to clarify when charges should be brought in right-to-die cases.
The ruling is a victory for multiple sclerosis patient Debbie Purdy, 46, who went to court so she could make an informed decision on when to take her own life without fear her husband could be prosecuted for assisting.
In an interview with the Standard, Lord Warner said the Director of Public Prosecutions was partly to blame for existing confusion as the courts had never taken action over those arrested for taking part in an assisted suicide.
This includes the relatives of paralysed rugby player Daniel James, 23, who was not terminally ill. DPP Keir Starmer said it was not in anyone's interest to prosecute his friends and family.
Lord Warner said: “I'd certainly consider going to Dignitas to accompany a relative who was terminally ill. It's absolutely barking to say an act (suicide) which is not criminal in this country and is not criminal in the country to where people are travelling, to suddenly say they have committed a crime is a bizarre interpretation of the law.
“It's particularly bizarre given that more than 100 people have been abroad on this basis and not one has been prosecuted. The law has fallen into disrepute aided and abetted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.”
Earlier this year a group of prominent peers including Lord Warner attempted to bring an amendment protecting from prosecution relatives who took terminally ill relatives to Dignitas.
But this failed after attracting huge opposition from pro-life and disability campaigners.
Lord Warner, chairman of NHS London's oversight body the Provider Development Agency, also called for doctors to be allowed to help a patient to die who was mentally sound and who had already expressed the wish in writing.
Lord Warner said he had completed a form requesting doctors not to resuscitate him in certain circumstances.
A new battle in Parliament over assisted suicide looks set to take place in the autumn. MPs are expected to debate a change in the law in the wake of yesterday's ruling. David Winnick, Labour MP for Walsall North, said he will put forward a Private Member's Bill on the matter.
Reader views (4)
The entire Labour government are totally barking.
Except where their expenses claims are concerned.
- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK, 31/07/2009 14:54
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This law has been stretched to the point of absurdity. Or rather, it hasn't been, but various loving relatives have been left with the fear of possible prosecution hanging over their heads, when all they've done is enabled a sick person to travel to another country.
It should be made clear that anyone, including a terminally ill person, has the right to travel, and that anyone assisting him is not responsible for any decisions taken after arriving within another country's legal juristiction.
Freedom means freedom to change one's mind. Even if a person makes it known that they intend to commit suicide, that should not be a reason to prevent anyone from assisting them with their travel plans. Who can say that they might not change their mind on arrival? Even the sick person himself cannot know for sure. Intent is one thing, a final and fatal decision is quite another. This, I hope, was made clear to all by that brave young lady who fought for and won the right not to be forced to have a heart transplant, and then changed her mind when faced with imminent death and genuine freedom to decide for herself.
- Nigel, London, 31/07/2009 13:44
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Its about time the law is clarified at the end of the day we should have the choice to terminate ourr life when we choose and our family should not be persecuted for not wanting to let us die alone. if that was me i would still die with dignity i would just make sure i put everything in place to go alone.
- Kay, London, 31/07/2009 13:31
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These modern day celebrity victims do like their PR and staged photo ops don't they? Does anyone else feel this is more about narcism and money than rights? And it won't be long before relatives abuse the system to knock off granny for her inheritance. "Just sign here gran!" Oh dear. The turning a blind eye system was a lot better, as it forced people to really think about what they were doing. But today, if it ends in £ or I, it's ok isn't it?
- Worried, London, England, 31/07/2009 09:18
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