The leader of the UK's Labour Party has stated his personal commitment to changing the law on assisted suicide and promised to bring forward a Bill to legalise the practice if he is elected Prime Minister in the forthcoming General Election.
Sir Keir Starmer made his pledge in a telephone conversation with Dame Esther Rantzen, a celebrity with lung cancer who is campaigning for a change in the law, which was filmed by ITV.
In the news report, Starmer is heard telling Rantzen: “I’m personally in favour of changing the law; I think we need time,” he says. “I will make time if I am Prime Minister,” adding that he would “definitely” commit to a vote in the next Parliament:
“We will make that commitment. Esther, I can give you that commitment right now.”
Starmer indicates that he would not impose a Party whip on the Bill as he "doesn't want to make this a Party political issue, it needs to be cross Party".
