A ‘death tsar’ and ‘suicide panels’ would decide if a person could end their life instead of a judge under a ‘watered down’ Assisted Dying Bill.
The panel – made up of a psychiatrist, social worker and lawyer – could sit in secret and would not even have to meet those seeking to die.
The proposals, from Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, are part of a so-called ‘judge-plus’ amendment which would remove the requirement for sign-off from a High Court judge.
But critics say the amendment amounts to a ‘watering down’ of previous promises and effectively creates a ‘death tsar’ in charge of a ‘suicide quango’.
Before the historic vote in favour of the Bill last November, Ms Leadbeater said the safeguard of a judge was proof that the proposed law would be the strictest in the world.
Yesterday, in a letter to MPs, she said the changes would be ‘a real strengthening of the Bill’.
She wrote: ‘I believe that retains the judicial element which many colleagues were supportive of, while adding the extra safeguards provided by this multidisciplinary approach.’
The amendment proposes the creation of a ‘voluntary assisted dying commissioner’ who would oversee review panels in place of a High Court judge.
Kim Leadbeater MP (pictured) speaking before the Terminally Ill Adults Bill Committee at the House of Commons earlier this week
Greg Smith MP (pictured) has slammed Kim Leadbeater’s proposal to appoint a ‘death tsar’ and ‘suicide panels’
Protestors campaigning against the Terminally Ill Adults Bill gather outside the Houses of Parliament last November
The commissioner, a judge or ex-judge appointed by the PM, would select panel members but would not preside over each decision. The commissioner and panel members would all be paid.
If someone was refused an assisted death, they could ask for a review by the commissioner. They would refer the case to a second panel if they ruled the decision was legally wrong.
Families would not need to be told of an assisted death application and the panel could be held ‘in private’ at the applicant’s request.
But Dr Gordon Macdonald, from Care Not Killing, which opposes legalising euthanasia, said it was ‘risible’ for Ms Leadbeater to suggest ‘this massively watered down and opaque replacement’ will be safer than a High Court judge.
Tory MP Greg Smith said: ‘It beggars belief that Ms Leadbeater is trying to spin this new death tsar who would be overseeing a suicide quango as a stronger safeguard than the oversight of a High Court judge.’
