Mister Speaker. 

I’d like to start by thanking my Honourable Friend for Spen Valley for introducing this Bill and for leading this debate with openness, respect and consideration for all sides and views. My honourable friend has helped to restore public trust in politicians and set an example to us all. 

In the past few weeks I have heard deeply distressing stories from constituents who cared for their parents, grandparents or even their partners as they lived out the ends of their lives in pain and suffering. The vast majority of those who have shared such stories have told me they think the law needs to change.  

I want to thank them for sharing these difficult memories. These are just a few of those experiences. 

My husband died of metastatic prostate cancer in August. He wanted to die at home. Despite the best efforts of the wonderful palliative care team his last month was agony for him and all of us. I would not allow any animal to suffer as he did. It was inhumane.  

My mum rapidly declined after her diagnosis. She begged for us to help. Her pain was so severe that she screamed out in pain even as we stroked her arm to try to comfort her until no noise came out of her anguished face. Both my brother and I have suffered from PTSD since mum’s death last year. 

These people and their families all deserved better. They deserved to be able to have a choice. And they deserved to be able to say goodbye at home surrounded by loved ones not suffer a traumatic death. 

Mister Speaker. 

For me this decision comes down to whether the status quo is acceptable. And after listening to the stories of my constituents it is absolutely clear to me that it is not.  

It is unacceptable that hundreds of people end their own lives in Britain every year alone, in pain, and forced to hide from their families. Were these people coerced? At present nobody starts looking until after they’re dead.  

It is unacceptable that the wealthy who can afford the £15,000 needed to go to Dignitas are already doing so while those without the financial means are denied that same choice. 

And it is unacceptable that so many people who lose control to cancer are not allowed to take some control back over the time, place, and manner of their dying. 

That would give them the peace, calmness, and freedom from fear that they so desperately need knowing that their families can be around them and not have to go through weeks or months of pain and torture.  

This House has been debating this issue since before I was born.  

It has been scrutinising various proposed laws for more than fifty years. If this vote passes today we will have the opportunity to scrutinise this Bill a great deal more over the coming months. Line-by-line in Bill Committee. We will be able to take evidence from people who are terminally ill from palliative care professionals and from lawyers.  

But we know what happens if this Bill falls tonight because we have been here so many times before. MPs hesitate and the chance to make change is gone for another generation perhaps for my lifetime. The opponents of this Bill must answer the question is the current situation acceptable to them? And if it is not, where is the alternative? 

Killing this Bill means more interminable suffering. It means another decade or more of choice denied. It means the status quo a legal quagmire that serves nobody’s interests at all and fails to address real concerns about coercion continues. 

And it means hundreds and hundreds more people forced to die in agony because this House once again chose dither and delay over action. I absolutely agree with Members of the House who want this done and want this done right.  

But this Bill is doing it right.  

It has the toughest safeguards in the world and as the Leader of the House has confirmed it will be afforded the time that is needed for full and proper scrutiny. 

My constituents with terminal illnesses cannot afford to wait another decade for the right to choose.  

They are looking to this House to show courage and leadership on this issue.  

My constituents and the British public stand strongly behind this.  

That is why this Bill has my wholehearted support and why I hope my colleagues in this House will vote to support it.  

Whilst we cannot put an end to suffering, pain and terminal illness.  

We can return autonomy, dignity and peace to those who are suffering and in pain from a terminal illness.