How northern Lincolnshire MPs voted on assisted dying bill

The terminally ill adults end of life bill has passed its second reading with a 55 vote majority with northern Lincolnshire’s MPs split on the sensitive topic.

Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes MP Melanie Onn voted for Kim Leadbeater’s bill, as did Scunthorpe MP Sir Nic Dakin along with Doncaster East and Isle of Axholme MP Lee Pitcher. Brigg and Immingham MP Martin Vickers voted against it.

Ms Onn said she was “deeply moved” by everyone who had written to her on the vote, on both sides of the debate. She decided the time had come to change the law to allow terminally ill adults “to die with dignity and without prolonged suffering”.

Sir Nic said he is “hugely grateful” for all constituents who have contacted him on the issue. He has said “the overwhelming message from everyone” has been to improve palliative and end of life care. Sir Nic has pledged it will be a focus of his.

Mr Vickers said he regrets the bill has passed this stage. Its successful passage through Parliament would mean “the idea that the NHS is wholly committed to preserving life and controlling pain will have changed”.

Overall, there were 330 votes for the bill and 275 against. It was a free vote, meaning MPs could vote according to their conscience, and not along a party line.

‘Heartbreaking stories’

Ms Onn announced her decision the night before the vote. In a video message on social media, she said: “I just want to say I have been deeply moved by everyone who’s written to me on both sides of the argument.

“You have shared some truly heartbreaking and personal accounts, so thank you to everyone who’s approached me on this very sensitive subject. I’ve read through carefully your submissions, but have also been engaging in consultation from legal experts and health experts. But after careful consideration, I believe the time has come to change the legislation, to allow terminally ill adults the opportunity to die with dignity and without prolonged suffering.”

Ms Onn said the bill would allow it “in very limited and prescribed circumstances”, and she will continue to monitor developments closely. The bill requires that a person has the mental capacity to make a choice about ending their life.

As it stands, the bill requires the person to be over 18, live in England or Wales, be expected to die within six months, and be registered with a GP for at least 12 months. Two doctors and a High Court judge must be satisfied the individual is eligible and has made their decision voluntarily.

“Today was clearly the most significant day in recent weeks,” said Mr Vickers. “I regret that the assisted suicide bill passed. This is a fundamental change to the relationship between doctor and patient and between the citizen and the State.

“A private members bill is absolutely not suited for such a change. If this eventually becomes law, the idea that the NHS is wholly committed to preserving life and controlling pain will have changed. Our society should focus on keeping people alive.”

‘Overwhelming message’ to improve end of life care

For Scunthorpe’s MP, he believes the focus in future should be on improving palliative care. “After much deliberation on this most difficult of issues, I voted in favour of the Assisted Dying Bill,” said Sir Nic.

“I’m hugely grateful to the many constituents who have shared their views with me, particularly those who gave up their time to join the round table discussions I held last week. The overwhelming message from everyone that’s spoken with me on this issue is that we need to improve palliative and end of life care. This is a real focus I am determined to take forward.”

“I have personal experience being with family members with terminal illnesses at the end of their lives,” said Lee Pitcher in a published letter to constituents. “Watching them suffer in agony is the most painful and heartbreaking thing that anyone can witness.”

Mr Pitcher said he agreed with the bill’s principle, “the intention to relieve unendurable suffering”. However, he said in future Parliamentary stages, he will “be looking carefully at the safeguards and processes in place to protect the vulnerable before I cast my final vote”. A video explaining his standpoint in full can be viewed here, in which he described it as “a really, really hard decision to make”.

Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe