The UK’s Education Secretary will vote against legalising ‘assisted dying’ [1] when Parliament has its say next week, deepening a Cabinet split on the issue.
A Labour MP proposed the private members bill and it got the support of the party to be put to a vote on the floor of the Commons, even as Sir Keir Starmer said a whip would not apply and party members could ‘vote their conscience’.
Bridget Phillipson suggested there were not enough safeguards in the UK bill that will be debated and voted on by MPs on Nov 29. The bill has more safeguards than are recommended by the report of the Oireachtas Committee on ‘assisted dying’.
The UK version would facilitate terminally-ill adults with six months to live to legally take their own lives if supported by a High Court judge and two doctors.
Ms Phillipson is the fifth Cabinet minister expected to oppose the bill. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, and Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, are also set to vote against it.