Anorexia sufferers could access assisted dying after MPs refused to close a loophole in Kim Leadbeater’s Bill.
Leadbeater’s Bill is currently at the Committee Stage, where MPs examine it clause by clause, debating and potentially amending its provisions.
Leadbeater has consistently touted her Bill as having the “world’s strongest safeguards” and permitting assisted suicide only for terminally ill adults with mental capacity who are expected to die within six months.
However, the assisted suicide committee rejected amendments—supported by a number of eating disorder charities—designed to explicitly prevent people with anorexia from being eligible for assisted suicide.
On Tuesday, Naz Shah, the Labour MP for Bradford West, attempted to specify that someone “who would not otherwise qualify as terminally ill shall not be considered to meet those requirements as a result of stopping eating or drinking,” essentially preventing the Bill from being used to end the lives of those suffering from anorexia.
She told the committee:
“If we wish to protect people with anorexia and other eating disorders, we must rewrite this Bill…
“I must underline, this is not a hypothetical point. It is not some clever objection that has been dreamed up without reference to the real world. It has actually happened. It has happened not once, but dozens of times in countries that have assisted dying.”
MPs received a letter signed by 34 representatives from eating disorder charities, urging them to support Shah's amendment. However, the proposed change was rejected by 15 votes to eight.
The rejection of the amendment follows a broader trend. Over 80 amendments—put forward by MPs concerned that the supposed safeguards in the Bill are insufficient—have been considered by the committee, and in every case, they have been rejected. There have been numerous accusations that the committee has been intentionally weighted in favour of supporters of the Bill.
Leadbeater’s Bill has also come under scrutiny following the announcement that it would no longer be necessary for a High Court judge to approve assisted suicide applications.
However, this decision could ultimately lead to its demise. The Independent reported that during the Second Reading debate, 60 MPs identified the High Court judge safeguard as an important reason for their support, with a further 20 stressing the necessity of “judicial oversight.”
Tom Quinn, Director of External Affairs at Beat, the UK’s leading charity supporting those affected by eating disorders, told The Catholic Herald:
“We are very disappointed that these amendments did not pass. Eating disorders should never be classified as terminal, and these amendments would have added much-needed clarity around the issue.
“Every day, we hear from people who have gone from being extremely unwell to being in recovery and living a full life, free of their eating disorder. An eating disorder is not a death sentence, and everyone affected must be given dedicated and thorough support to ensure they have the best possible chance of this."
Following the committee's review, the Bill will proceed to the Report Stage and Third Reading in the House of Commons, where MPs will vote on it again.
<em>Photo: Models pose for a photographer backstage before Basso & Brooke's Autumn/winter show at London Fashion Week on February 14, 2007 in London.</em>
<em>(Photo by Bruno Vincent/Getty Images)</em>
If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s health, you can contact Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity on 0808 801 0677 or <a href="http://beateatingdisorders.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beateatingdisorders.org.uk</a>
