Region's MPs still undecided on assisted dying vote

Wolverhampton West MP Warinder Juss told Express & Star readers on Monday that he would be voting for Kim Leadbeater's private members' bill, even though he was personally opposed to assisted dying.

He said it had been a particularly difficult decision, forcing him to wrestle with his own religious convictions.

"Personally I do not agree with assisted dying," said the Labour MP. "But as an MP I have to look beyond myself, and be aware that not everyone will think like me and ultimately people deserve to have the choice."

However most of the other MPs we spoke to on the matter said they were yet to decide. 

Mike Wood, Conservative MP for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire, said although he had in the past been a strong supporter of a change in the law, he was unlikely to vote in favour on this occasion.

"I may struggle to get to the vote, because I am hosting an old people's forum in the constituency on Friday morning," he said.

"I will then see if I can get to the vote. If I do manage to get down in time, I'm likely to vote against.

"I used to be quite strongly in favour. But it's just concerns about safeguarding how people are not coerced into ending their own lives, or those who feel they ought to end their lives because they don't want to be a burden.

"I'm still listening, but it is unlikely I will end up voting for it on Friday." 

Josh Newbury, Labour MP for Cannock Chase said he was sympathetic to the general principle, but had concerns about the timing of the Bill.

"I'm still undecided," he said. "I've been weighing up the different arguments over the last couple of days to crystallise things in my mind before I decide.

"On the overall point, I believe people should have choice throughout their life, including the end of their life. 

"The problem is, that when you make a law, that law applies to everybody, not just those who are competent and sure in their own mind, but also those who might be influenced by anybody else, and those people who are vulnerable."

Mr Newbury said he was also concerned that there was a shortage of both doctors and judges at the moment, and he was concerned they might become tied up with assisted dying cases at the expense of other priorities.

"People are waiting for months on quite urgent medical decisions, things like whether a child's life support machine should be turned off."

Alex Ballinger, Labour MP for Halesowen, said he would not be deciding until he ahd received all the information that was available.

He held a public forum to discuss the matter at Halesowen Library on Saturday.

"We heard lots of views from both sides, including people with experience within the NHS," he said.

"People came from local churches, and people who have had family members who are recently deceased, and it was all very respectful."

Lichfield Labour MP Dave Robertson said he too was yet to decide, adding that it was by some margin the issue which had attracted the most public interest since he entered parliament in July.

He said he was broadly supportive of some form of liberalising the laws, but 

"I'm holding back on my final decision until the time comes," he said.

"I'm still undecided. I think there is a lot of space for the liberalisation of the law in this area, but there are still some questions about this particular bill."

Mark Pritchard, Conservative MP for The Wrekin, and a strong pro-life campaigner, said he was still weighing up all the arguments.

"This is one of the toughest votes I have had to cast in nearly 20 years," he said.

"There are strong and powerful arguments on both sides, with many moving and compassionate stories. "I will listen carefully to the debate, but as a pro-life MP, I am minded not to support the Bill, as it does not provide sufficient safeguards or recognise the dangers some of the most vulnerable in our society might be placed in."

Leigh Ingham, Labour MP for Stafford, said she was still consulting her constituents about the matter. 

"It's probably the biggest thing that I have been asked to vote on since becoming an MP," she said. "It has certainly attracted the biggest postbag."