Credit: The Scottish Parliament, source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62290915 (Creative Commons 3.0)
The Sunday Telegraph has published a letter to the editor from My Death, My Decision’s Chair, Trevor Moore, in response to a column by Ruth Davidson.
In her article, the former Scottish Conservatives leader who is due to join the House of Lords acknowledged that her views on assisted dying had changed after witnessing a number of close loved one’s battle dementia, and that she now regretted not originally supporting proposals to change the law.
Welcoming her comments, the full text of the letter published in the telegraph from My Death, My Decision is below:
‘SIR – Ruth Davidson (Comment, December 27) is not alone in changing her views on assisted dying after seeing the effects of dementia on a loved one.
It would, of course, be essential for any assisted dying law to require mental competence throughout, as is the case in many jurisdictions that already have such a law. In order to help those in early-stage dementia, before they lose their capacity to safely make a life-ending decision, Britain needs a law that does not limit eligibility to those with a short life expectancy.
A public inquiry is needed so that politicians can hear evidence from around the globe, including those jurisdictions such as Canada and Spain, where laws extend not only to the terminally ill, but also the incurably suffering. The Justice Secretary must stop ducking the issue.’
Notes:
For any more information or comment please contact My Death, My Decision’s Campaigns and Communications Manager at campaigns@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk.
My Death, My Decision is a grassroots non-profit organisation that campaigns for a balanced and compassionate approach to assisted dying in England and Wales. As a growing movement, we are at the forefront of social change: nearly 90% of the public now favours a change in the law to allow adults of sound mind, who are either terminally ill or facing incurable suffering, the option of a peaceful, painless, and dignified death.
Read more about My Death, My Decision’s campaign for an inclusive change in the law: https://www.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/
