Concern over Kendall’s ‘truly chilling’ comment on assisted suicide – Disability News Service

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has been at the center of controversy over her public support for legalizing assisted suicide after comments she made to the BBC that horrified campaigners.

Kendall told BBC political editor Chris Mason – although the comments were not broadcast – that one of the reasons legalizing assisted suicide was important was to give families “choice and control”.

Last Thursday, Kendall told the BBC she strongly supports legalizing assisted suicide and told Mason: “As more of us care for our loved ones at the end of their lives, giving families, giving people that choice and control is very, very important. “

Her comments horrified disabled activists and anti-legalization allies because they suggest family members should play a role in deciding whether someone should take their own life if the bill becomes law.

They have been described on social media as “really scary”, “very disturbing” and “pretty scary”. with one disabled woman commenting on Twitter: “She talks as if she was bringing various soups.”

Caroline Richardson, activist and member Spartacus online network Disability researchers said: ‘If Liz Kendall truly believes that families should be given any control over assisted dying, then her role at the DWP is untenable.

“This may not actually be her statement, but unfortunately it will influence the debate and appeal to those who see assisted dying as an alternative to family care, social care, end-of-life care, palliative care and hospice care, of which all are massively underfunded.”

Supporters of the campaign to legalize assisted suicide have repeatedly emphasized that relatives will not be able to force a terminally ill person to end their life earlier and that protections contained in the Leadbeater Act constitute, in her opinion, “the strictest protections and guarantees of any law in the world.”

Kendall’s comments became famous simply because they were so published on social media by the Guardian’s highly respected political editor, Pippa Crerar.

However, Kendall’s comments about the families do not appear in either the report aired on BBC’s News at Six program or in the report written version which appears on the BBC website.

It appears that Mason may have shared a transcript of Kendall’s comments with Crerar.

The BBC reported this morning (Thursday) that it is not uncommon for lobbyist journalists to release transcripts of political interviews.

A BBC spokesman said: “Not every word said in an interview may always be included in the report due to space and time.”

As of midday today (Thursday), neither the Department for Work and Pensions nor Kendall’s parliamentary office had responded to a request for comment.

Labor MP Kim Leadbeater finally published it bill for terminally ill adults (end of life). last week, giving MPs just 17 days to review the content of the private members’ bill before debating and voting on it next Friday (November 29).

There appears to be enthusiasm among opponents of the bill, especially due to concerns that the NHS, social care and palliative care systems are in such poor condition that legalization would be dangerous.

Health and Human Services Secretary Wes Streeting, who says he will vote against the bill, raised particular concerns on the quality of palliative care services.

Disability organizations issued strong statements opposing the bill last week, including: London inclusion warning that after “14 years of austerity and broken public services… choosing to die may seem the only real option.”

Photo: Interview with Liz Kendall by the BBC’s Chris Mason

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