We won! Dangerous assisted dying Bill voted down

On Friday 11 September, we joined the crowd of people opposed to the assisted dying Bill at the front of Parliament Square facing the Houses of Parliament. Disabled people held a long banner, Not Dead Yet. The supporters of the Bill in pink sweatshirts lined the other half of Parliament Square near Westminster tube.

We were next to Catholic and other opponents of the Bill, including doctors and bereaved relatives. (WinVisible is not connected to any religious group or political party.)

Our side’s rally heard from Liz Carr who made the BBC documentary, Better Off Dead?. Bereaved daughter Alicia Duncan travelled specially from Canada to speak out about her mother’s story, Donna Duncan, who tragically was fast-tracked under Canada’s MAiD — Medical Assistance in Dying, while in mental distress.

Claire from WinVisible spoke about our struggle for the right to live, through COVID when homecare visits stopped, and now the forced Move to Universal Credit, where the DWP has cut off thousands of sick and disabled ESA claimants. We said, our work of coping with disability and ill-health entitles us to an income and support services, whether or not we do waged work on top. Welfare Not Warfare, Invest in caring not killing!

The assisted dying Bill was voted down by 17 votes. Find out how your MP voted here.

Disability Rights UK said as part of their longer statement:

We stand in solidarity with the many Disabled people who have shared their experiences, concerns and expertise throughout this entire debate. Their voices have too often been overlooked, and belittled despite being those most directly affected by the issues raised by this Bill and its disturbing implications.

Now there is an opportunity to focus on the issues that many Disabled people have consistently called on Government and Parliament to address: access to high-quality healthcare, sustainable and properly funded social care, palliative care, independent living support, and to end the poverty that Disabled people live day in and day out.

. . . Disabled people deserve dignity, choice and security in life, and that requires investment in the services and support systems that enable people to live independently, participate fully in society and make genuine choices about our lives and futures.