Senedd Members vote against principle of assisted dying

Senedd members voted 26-19, with nine abstaining, against a non-binding motion calling on the Welsh Government to back the principle of assisted dying.

The Senedd rejected a similar motion a decade ago in December 2014.

Julie Morgan said it was important to debate the issue again in light of Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill which was introduced in the House of Commons last week.

Ms Morgan accepted powers over assisted dying are reserved to Westminster but pointed out the Senedd is responsible for health, so Wales would have to implement any new law.

The Labour politician raised similar bills in Scotland, the Isle of Man and House of Lords, with Jersey’s assembly this year approving plans in principle to legalise assisted dying.

She explained that 31 jurisdictions around the world have already legalised assisted dying, including Australia, the Netherlands and Canada.

Ms Morgan said: “I believe we need to show more compassion to those people who are suffering intolerably from incurable illness and who have a settled wish to die.”

She told the Senedd that every eight days one person goes to Dignitas or a similar end-of-life centre in Switzerland, with the average cost from £10,000-£15,000.

“This means it is only an option for the wealthy,” she warned.

Delyth Jewell voted against, saying: “My fear with this motion – well, my terror, really – is not so much with how it will begin as with how it will end.”

James Evans told the Senedd he got into politics due to his grandmother who had dementia and suffered a stroke, leaving her incapacitated with no quality of life.

Mr Evans, who co-submitted the motion, said his grandfather was threatened with prosecution for manslaughter if he let her life end naturally.

He said: “My grandfather regretted that decision he had to make then to extend my nan's life for the rest of his days. I made a promise to both of them: I would never let anybody suffer like that again and that's why I support this today.”