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Assisted suicide law criticised

The laws on assisted suicide have been criticised as "ridiculous" by a newly-promoted Health Minister.

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Pro-life group criticises new health minister over comments

A pro-life group has criticised new health minister Anna Soubry after she called the laws on assisted suicide "ridiculous".

Paul Tully, general secretary of SPUC Pro-Life said in a statement:

The good will among the public towards people with disabities has never been higher than at these Paralympic Games.

Suddenly they are faced with the sickening prospect that if they struggle with suicidal feelings, they will be given help to die instead of care and support.

Anna Soubry has wasted no time after her appointment in making known her priority.

Such a move would allegedly save huge amounts of public funds in the costs of caring for disabled, elderly and supposedly unproductive people.

Disabled people must speak up now before the minister starts trying to legislate against their equal right to exist.

Tony Nicklinson's wife welcomes minister's assisted suicide comments

Tony Nicklinson's wife has welcomed the willingness of newly-appointed health minister Anna Soubry to "stick her neck out" on the issue of assisted suicide law, but said reforms that restricted the measure to the terminally ill would not be enough.

Jane and Tony Nicklinson in August after losing his High Court battle Credit: Emma Hallett/PA Wire

Tony Nicklinson, who suffered from locked-in syndrome, died a week after losing his legal bid to end his life when he chose with the help of a doctor. He was 58 at the time of his death.

"Everyone goes on about assisted suicide for the terminally ill but that is just not far enough for us," Jane Nicklinson told Sky News. "Tony's rights should be taken into account, and others like Tony, as much as those who are dying".

"We're pleased that she has come forward and said this. It does open the debate even more, having an MP who's willing to stick her neck out and actually support assisted suicide. But we would like it to be a step further," Mrs. Nicklinson added.

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'Appalling' assisted suicide law for the terminally ill, says Health Minister

Health Minister Anna Soubry, in an interview with The Times, commented on the case of locked-in syndrome sufferer Tony Nicklinson, who died a week after he lost his legal bid to end his life with a doctor's help.

Ms Soubry said she was ambivalent about that case, and that a doctor should not be required to kill somebody.

"You can't say to a doctor or a nurse you can kill this person."

But she said that it was "appalling" that the terminally ill who needed help to end their lives had to go abroad.

I think it's ridiculous and appalling that people have to go abroad to end their life instead of being able to end their life at home.

The rules that we have about who we don't prosecute allow things to happen but there's a good argument that we should be a bit more honest about it.

New Health Minister criticises assisted suicide law

The laws on assisted suicide have been criticised as "ridiculous" by a newly-promoted Health Minister.

Anna Soubry, who was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department of Health in this week's reshuffle, called for greater "honesty" about when prosecutions would be brought for helping relatives to die and that the legislation needed to "evolve".

Newly-promoted Health Minister Anna Soubry. Credit: Yui Mok/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Her comments come after locked-in syndrome sufferer Tony Nicklinson died a week after he lost his legal bid to end his life with a doctor's help.

Ms Soubry said she was ambivalent about that case, and that a doctor should not be required to kill somebody.

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