Tuesday 14 January 2014

I agree with the Sun! We need to change the law on Assisted Suicide

I have long campaigned for a change in the law - see the Journal article: http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/hexham-mp-guy-opperman-backs-4413760
and the speech I gave to the House two years ago: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2012-03-27a.1373.0&s=guy+opperman+assisted+suicide+segment%3A21942142#g1432.1

The Sun today has covered the Coronation Street assisted dying storyline on their front pages. The Sun’s headline focuses on recent polling of their readership, showing that 73% of the public agrees that assisted dying should be legalised. There is then a double-page spread on pages 4 and 5 regarding the arguments. Perhaps most encouragingly, the editorial comment strongly states The Sun’s support for Lord Falconer’s Bill:

“MOST Britons believe the terminally ill should have the right to an assisted suicide. It is also where The Sun stands… The issue cannot be ignored… Lord Falconer’s Bill would ensure terminally-ill patients prove they are mentally capable of choosing death, that they have ‘settled’ on their decision and that they have not been influenced by others. These are sound safeguards. The risks of legalisation seem tiny to us compared with the suffering it would ease.”