Sir Keir Starmer promises assisted dying debate and vote in major Express victory

Sir Keir Starmer has promised to hold a full parliamentary debate and free vote on assisted dying if he comes the next Prime Minister.

In a major victory for the Daily Express’s Give Us Our Last Right campaign, the Labour leader made the pledge during a phone call with Dame Esther Rantzen.

The Childline founder, 83, has breathed new life into the battle for greater choice at the end of life since revealing her stage four lung cancer diagnosis and decision to register with Dignitas.

Sir Keir told her: “I’m personally in favour of changing the law. I think we need to make time. We will make the commitment. Esther, I can give you that commitment right now.”

Speaking to the Express afterwards, Dame Esther said Sir Keir had raised concerns about assisted dying becoming a “political football”, with other parties feeling obliged to oppose it if Labour makes a manifesto commitment on holding a debate.

READ MORE: Terminally ill should not need ‘escape plans’ – Dame Esther Rantzen’s daughter

But his personal commitment was “crystal clear”, she said. She added: “He told me that when he was director of public prosecutions, every single case where assisted dying was suspected was referred to him to decide if the loved ones left behind should be prosecuted.

“So he has heard the stories of terrible suffering imposed by the current law. And he added compassion to the criteria.

“But he admitted that was not enough to protect loving, compassionate families from a police investigation, which is the danger if I have to go to Dignitas and want my wonderful family to come with me to say goodbye.”

Dame Esther implored MPs who had not personally experienced the painful death of a loved one to listen to the wealth of heartbreaking stories and evidence from around the world.

She added: “Obviously there must be careful precautions in any new law to protect the vulnerable, Sir Keir is fully committed to that. But experience abroad proves that assisted dying does not damage palliative care, the care sometimes improves as a result.

“And it has led to people in my situation approaching the end of their lives with serenity and confidence knowing that they will have the choice.”

The lifelong campaigner added: “Sir Keir is personally committed and I trust him to fulfil his pledge, even if I am no longer around to remind him.”

The phone call was witnessed by ITV News. Asked whether he would like a vote within five years after the general election, Sir Keir told the broadcaster: “Oh yes, definitely.

“I think Esther would agree with this. For people who are going through this or are likely to go through it in the next few months or years, this matters hugely and delay just prolongs the agony.”

Sir Keir supported a change in the law when a vote on the issue last took place in the Commons, nine years ago.

A 2015 bill aiming to lift the ban on assisted dying was defeated when MPs voted 330 to 118 against it. But campaigners are confident that the tide is turning in Westminster.

Sir Keir acknowledged “safeguards with teeth” would have to be put in place to protect the vulnerable.

Pressed on how he would calm critics’ concerns that vulnerable people could be pressured into ending their lives prematurely, he said: “Firstly, I think the debate has to be conducted with respect.

“I personally think the law should be changed. There will be people equally passionate, with powerful points to make about why it shouldn’t be.”

As director of public prosecutions, Sir Keir issued guidelines indicating that anyone acting with compassion to help end the life of someone who has decided they cannot go on would be unlikely to face criminal charges.

He said: “When I consulted on this for the prosecutor’s guidelines, the churches and faith groups and others were very, very powerful in the arguments they made. We have to respect that and find the right balance in the end.

“I do think most people coalesce around the idea that there is a case [for assisted dying] where it is obviously compassionate, it is the settled intent of the individual, and there are safeguards with teeth to protect the vulnerable.”

Dignity in Dying chief executive Sarah Wootton said parliamentarians were finally listening to the public, who are “crying out for law change”.

“These comments send an important signal to all MPs and candidates: listen to dying people, listen to constituents, it’s time for change,” she said.

“Only a free vote early in the next parliament can deliver what our terminally ill citizens need – a safe and compassionate law providing choice at the end of life. As Sir Keir has recognised – dying people simply do not have time to wait.”

Asked if the Prime Minister would also commit to allowing a vote in the next Parliament, his deputy spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister has spoken about this issue with Daily Express readers.

“It remains the case that it is for parliament to decide whether it wants a vote.”

A Daily Express petition calling for a parliamentary debate and vote, backed by Dame Esther, has soared to more than 150,000 signatures.

The latest breakthrough comes a day after Dame Esther’s daughter, Rebecca Wilcox, made a powerful plea on her mother’s behalf.

She told a House of Commons event hosted by Dignity in Dying that terminally ill people should not have to “work out escape plans”.

Ms Wilcox added: “We are in an intolerable situation made worse by the confusion in the rules and the lack of empathy in our law makers.

“We don’t wish to impose this on anyone, but we want everyone to have the choice and we will need a proper parliamentary debate with a free vote to achieve this.”