In a heartfelt discussion, Theresa May has called for the assisted dying Bill to be scrapped, expressing concerns that it could normalize suicide. The former Conservative Prime Minister, now known as Baroness May of Maidenhead, voiced her worries in the House of Lords, fearing that individuals might be pressured into ending their lives and that the legislation could be exploited to conceal errors made in hospitals.

Advocates of the proposed law, which aims to grant terminally ill individuals with less than six months to live the option to end their lives, have urged peers not to obstruct its progress. Dame Esther Rantzen made a poignant plea, expressing her desire to bid farewell to her family in a dignified manner.

The House of Lords is currently deliberating the groundbreaking Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, previously endorsed by Members of Parliament in June. Labour’s Lord Charlie Falconer initiated the debate, criticizing the existing law for causing immense suffering and lacking compassion and necessary safeguards.

Opposing the legislation presented by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, Baroness May argued that it promotes assisted suicide rather than assisted dying, contradicting societal values that deem suicide morally wrong. She raised concerns that the safeguards in the bill may not be sufficient to prevent coercion and warned of the potential for abuse, including using the law to cover up hospital mistakes.

Supporting the introduction of assisted dying, Conservative peer Lord Michael Forsyth shared a poignant personal anecdote about his father’s agonizing death, prompting him to reconsider his stance on the issue.

If enacted, the proposed law would enable terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with a life expectancy of under six months, to request assistance in ending their lives. The process would involve approval from two physicians and a panel comprising a social worker, senior legal expert, and psychiatrist.