Mark Harper: This ‘assisted suicide’ bill should be blocked to protect the disabled

The Rt Hon the Lord Harper is a former Secretary of State for Transport, Chief Whip and Minister for the disabled. He is the former MP for the Forest of Dean.

Today MPs will decide whether to proceed with Kim Leadbeater’s assisted suicide Bill, which I believe represents one of the most radical and unwise changes in UK social policy in recent years.

Kim Leadbeater’s Bill, facing its decisive Third Reading vote, aims to allow the NHS to end the lives of adults with a terminal prognosis of six months or less. This would start a profound shift in the role of the NHS and society’s view about the importance of human life.

Drawing on my experience as a former Minister for Disabled People, I believe these changes would be unwelcome particularly for disabled people. This is not just my view – not a single organisation representing disabled people in our country supports this Bill.

When a physically healthy person wants to end their life, we urgently point them to resources like The Samaritans or mental health professionals for support. In a crisis, our emergency services strive to keep them alive. Like healthy people, those with physical ailments can be depressed and suicidal. The proposed law change would create a two-tier system, where physically healthy individuals receive support to live, while sick individuals receive support to die.

The result would be the devaluing of life – suggesting that the lives of those with physical challenges and vulnerabilities are no longer worth living or saving. Many disabled people find this approach profoundly worrying.

Concerns grow as the Government’s impact assessment suggests assisted suicide could save the NHS money compared to more expensive care costs. The Government’s proposed significant savings from the Personal Independence Payment, driven by the Chancellor’s desire to cut costs, along with the reversal of the unpopular cut to winter fuel payments, raise concerns about its attitude toward vulnerable and disabled people.

New polling, commissioned by Not Dead Yet and carried out by Whitestone Insight, shows that a clear majority of the British public shares concerns similar to those of disabled people. There is a majority agreement for all statements tested, except one for which there is a plurality of support.

By 67 percent to just 13 percent, people agree that “The UK Parliament should prioritise improving access to care for disabled people before introducing assisted suicide”, with support rising to 72 per cent among those with disabilities.

Most people (63 per cent to 16 percent) agree that “some disabled people may feel a sense of responsibility to access an assisted death if they feel they are a burden on family, friends or society”. Agreement rises to 67% among those with a disability.

Sixty percent of people agree that “Some disabled people could be coerced into assisted suicide by others who do not have their best interests at heart”, with agreement increasing to 64 per cent among those with a disability.

A majority of 59 per cent agree that “if disabled people live in poverty with cuts to benefits, they may be likely to seek assisted suicide instead of struggling financially” – agreement rises to 65 per cent among those with a disability.

57 per cent of people agree that due to the NHS and social care funding issues, “disabled people who struggle to access necessary support, may be more likely to seek assisted suicide instead”. Agreement rises to 63 per centamong people with a disability.

More agree (40 per cent) than disagree (31 per cent) that “if assisted suicide is available, then some disabled people might not be offered more expensive health and social care support”. Agreement rises to 44 per cent among those with a disability.

With support to live being squeezed, what is being promoted as a “choice” to die could easily, over time, slip into becoming the default option. Canada, a symbol of ‘progressivism’, has legalised assisted suicide while inadequately meeting the needs of the disabled community.

Charlotte-Anne Malischewski, Interim Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, warned that “too many people in Canada lacked access to the basic supports and services, including health care, medication and equipment“. She further added that “some persons with disabilities were turning to medical assistance in dying because they felt they had no other options“. Canada allows individuals with physical disabilities or illnesses, who do not have a terminal prognosis, to end their lives if they are deemed to be suffering intolerably. Of those applying to die via this route, and who responded to questions on the subject, 58.3 per cent identified as having a disability.

Roger Foley, a Canadian disability rights activist with a severe neurodegenerative disease, shares how the healthcare system denied him funding for personal carers, resulting in inadequate care. In a 2024 article, he said that healthcare staff advised him to consider Medical Aid In Dying because his care needs were “too much work”.

The Leadbeater Bill, initially said by its supporters to have the ‘strictest safeguards in the world’, did not fare well during its progress through the House of Commons. The promised flagship safeguard of the Bill (High Court judicial oversight) has been removed. Cases would now only be assessed by panels consisting of a likely less senior legal figure, a social worker and a psychiatrist. The proponents of the Bill have shown themselves almost completely resistant to attempts to tighten safeguards that would protect disabled people.

The Leadbeater Bill is a disaster waiting to happen. It is a badly drafted Bill that, far from becoming stronger and safer, has ended up with fewer safeguards for the most vulnerable. This is becoming clearer to MPs, and support for the Bill has decreased as it has made its way through the House of Commons. That means every vote counts, so any MP with doubts about this particular Bill should show up and vote against it, even if they support the principle.

I strongly encourage Members of Parliament to vote against the Bill at Third Reading.  If they succeed in stopping it then they won’t just be protecting and defending disabled people – they’ll also be backing the majority of the British public who share these concerns.