Breaking News: Esther Rantzen attacks Wes Streeting’s ‘vocal opposition’ to assisted dying bill….Read More

The 85-year-old criticised the Health Secretary’s “vocal opposition” to the historic legislation
Dame Esther Rantzen said she was “disappointed” in Wes Streeting over his “vocal opposition” to the assisted dying bill.

The Health Secretary sparked controversy after suggesting the proposals could lead to other NHS cuts.

He has ordered officials to look at the costs for the health service of implementing any changes in the law on assisted dying.

Dame Esther, who is terminally ill, told LBC: “I think this is an issue which shouldn’t actually be decided by cost.

“But certainly if this bill is passed during the committee stage, the Government has said that they will ensure there is an analysis of the impact at all levels in all departments.

And that is right. We need to know how to make it work efficiently, easily and well for everybody involved.

“Wes Streeting has disappointed me because ministers were asked not to campaign and he has been very vocal in his opposition.

But there are other ministers in his department who take the opposite view, so I’m sure that it will be dealt with in a proper way.”

The 84-year-old broadcaster has been a strong advocate for changing the law to allow assisted dying.

She revealed in December last year that she had joined Dignitas, to give her the choice of an assisted death in Switzerland.

It comes as MPs will debate and vote on Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in the Commons tomorrow.

It will be a free vote which allows MPs to decide in line with their conscience rather than being whipped by their parties.

Of the 650 MPs, most have yet to reveal publicly how they will vote, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

He previously supported a change in the law in 2015 when the last assisted dying Bill in the Commons was rejected.

The Cabinet is split on the issue, with Mr Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood intending to vote no, while Energy Secretary and former Labour leader Ed Miliband is supporting the Bill alongside Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.

The Bill, which covers England and Wales only, proposes terminally ill adults with less than six months to live who have a settled wish to die should have the option to do so.

The legislation is backed by the Daily Express’s Give Us Our Last Rites crusade.