A doleful day ended with this inexperienced Commons voting, 330 to 275, for assisted dying. It would be the State providing that assistance. Judges and doctors would become the Grim Reaper’s willing midwives. A new priestly caste of the wigged and white-gowned.
The vote, soon after two o’clock, was heard in silence. No cheers. Even the supporters of this private member’s Bill realised it was a daunting moment. One of those backers, flush-faced Andrew Mitchell (Con, Sutton Coldfield), had earlier claimed the Bill was ‘a very modest and controlled proposal’. The discernible gulp in the chamber when Speaker Hoyle announced the result showed it was anything but that.
In the words of one of the Bill’s opponents, Danny Kruger (Con, E Wilts), ‘the Rubicon was a very small stream’. Yet once it was crossed, everything changed.
The way to dusty death began at 9.30am, the Commons for once packed on a Friday and 160 MPs seeking to speak. ‘Kim Leadbeater!’ cried Sir Lindsay Hoyle as he invited the Bill’s backbench sponsor to open. She is the sister of the late Jo Cox, the MP murdered in 2016. One way or another Ms Leadbeater (Lab, Batley & Spen) will have a sombre political legacy.
A weirdly chirpy customer. She delivered her speech fast, almost gabbling. Shades of Jimmy Clitheroe. ‘So, back to palliative care!’ she chirruped, as if encouraging a class of schoolgirls to resume their game of netball.
She gassed away, insisting there were ‘extra, extra layers of safeguarding’. She promised ‘periods of reflection built in’ to the assisted-dying process. This was the language of insurance sales, of washing-machine warranties.
Kim Leadbeater the Labour MP who introduced the Assisted Dying Bill, speaks to supporters and the meida following the vote
Kim Leadbeater, who introduced the Assisted Dying Bill, reacts after the bill was passed in Parliament Square in London
Kim Leadbeater MP walks to meet supporters of assisted dying outside Parliament as MPs in the House of Commons voted by a majority of 55 in favour of the bill
Mr Kruger led backbench opposition. He lost the vote but won the arguments. Wera Hobhouse (Lib Dem, Bath) presumed he was a doctor and you could see why, for his tone was measured and calm. Had I been on my sickbed yesterday I would have wanted Kruger signing my notes rather than blurty, whizzo, let’s-have-a-luverly-demise Leadbeater.
There was no discernible party divide. The only generalisations one might venture: MPs from ethnic-minority seats and those of a more Old Labour background were against, while younger, more middle-class members seemed keener on ‘the pill’.
A rare moment of rancour came when Mr Kruger used the word ‘suicide’ and Cat Eccles (Lab, Stourbridge) called that ‘offensive language’. Mr Kruger patiently explained that the Act of Parliament this Bill hoped to alter happened to contain ‘suicide’ in its title.
There was also perhaps a teaspoon of sarcasm when Alistair Strathern (Lab, Hitchin) said he was ‘deeply intrigued’ by Mr Kruger’s certainty in opposition.
This was unmerited. Mr Kruger was plainly as racked by difficulties as any decent soul would be. But Mr Strathern is an ambitious fellow so we must allow him to speak a little nonsense now and again.
Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who introduced the Assisted Dying Bill, greets supporters following the vote
Kim Leadbeater, who introduced the Assisted Dying Bill, reacts after the bill was passed
Alicia Kearns (Con, Rutland & Stamford) spoke of the Tory tradition of choice. Diane Abbott (Lab, Hackney N and Stoke Newington) recalled that the Commons ignored opinion polling to ban the death penalty.
‘The State should not be involved in taking a life,’ she said. ‘It was a good principle in 1969 and it remains a good principle today.’ Ms Abbott was a mesmerising figure as she stood unsteadily by the gangway, iPad shaking in her hands, her words emerging only with deliberation and a certain effort.
We had tears, not least from that sturdy presence of Dame Meg Hillier (Lab, Hackney S and Shoreditch) as she recalled how her daughter survived a terrible illness.
A Lib Dem woman festooned in badges spoke of ‘my own family death journey’. Terrible things are sometimes done to the English language yet it survives. But the moment I gave up on Ms Leadbeater was when she used ‘holistic’ a second time. No word is surer evidence of weakness in a parliamentary argument.