Sir Keir Starmer has repeated his vow to Dame Esther Rantzen to make time for a debate and free vote on assisted dying after the broadcaster issued a direct plea to him to “make it come true”.
The Prime Minister said he had given the Childline founder – who is living with terminal cancer – his word on the issue earlier this year before entering Number 10 and that he “meant it”.
Dame Esther last week urged the Labour leader to follow through on his vow for parliamentary debate on the current “cruel” law.
He was asked by reporters if a vote on assisted dying will take place in the House of Commons before Christmas.
He said: “I gave her my word that we would make time for this with a private member’s bill and I repeat that commitment.
“I made it to her personally and I meant it, and we will.”
Labour’s Jake Richards previously signalled his intention to introduce a private member’s bill after he secured one of the top 20 spots to introduce a proposal to the Commons.
Sir Keir said should a Bill come forward “we won’t block it in a sense of talking it out or some of the other manoeuvres that are sometimes used”.
He added: “I gave my word as to what we would do and I’ll stick to it. It’ll be a free vote but I repeat the commitment I made to Esther Rantzen on this.”
Sir Keir has previously said he is “personally in favour of changing the law” and supported a change the last time the issue was voted on in the Commons nine years ago.
Asked again whether he supported it, he said: “I will look at the legislation first. In principle, I think there’s a case to be made for changing the law.”
But he said he would want to see what safeguards are proposed.
Speaking to Sky News last week, Dame Esther said: “Please, Sir Keir, remember our conversation and let’s make time for this. It really is a matter of life and death.”
She said she was reminding the Prime Minister “just gently, you know, nothing bossy, just quietly”.
She asked if he could “possibly recall your kind words to me and make it come true?”
Assisting someone to end their life is currently a criminal offence in England and Wales.
Labour former justice secretary Lord Falconer of Thoroton has introduced the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill in the House of Lords, which is expected to be the subject of a debate in mid-November.
Last week it was revealed that a majority of members on a so-called citizens’ jury said assisted dying should be permitted in England.
A final vote was cast by 28 jury members, with 20 agreeing the law should change after eight weeks of deliberation.
Stopping pain and giving people dignity were among the top reasons for support, although it was stressed that anyone using an assisted dying service should be terminally ill and have the capacity to make the decision to end their life.
Campaigners opposed to a change in the law have argued that assisted dying could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a financial, emotional or care burden, and argue that the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk.
Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity In Dying, said: “The Prime Minister could not be clearer that he will honour his promise to Dame Esther Rantzen – and the British people – to make time for an assisted dying bill to be fully and fairly debated, with a free vote.
“With real appetite from MPs across the political spectrum to grip this issue and deliver an assisted dying law for this country, it’s critical that a private members’ bill gets the time, attention and scrutiny it needs in Parliament.”
