Today Green MPs backed the continued passage of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in the House of Commons. All four Green MPs voted yes at the Bill’s third reading.
Although broad support for assisted dying is Green Party policy, on this issue of conscience there was no party line and every MP voted according to their own personal deliberations.
Every Green MP worked hard to hear from and understand people with different views on this sensitive issue. This included: meeting both supporters and opponents including constituents directly affected by terminal illness at their MP surgeries, sitting down with local faith leaders, support services and Disabled people’s groups, taking part in briefings and information sessions with medical professionals both for and against the Bill, carefully considering the scores of amendments that were added to the law, and replying to the many hundreds of emails and letters from constituents writing in with questions, personal views and experiences.
Every MP took this decision they made with the utmost seriousness. Green MPs are fully committed to making sure this new policy proceeds with the utmost care and safety in mind and will also continue to use their voices in Parliament to press for vital improvements to the availability of palliative care.