A SOUTH Cumbrian MP is set to vote against proposals to legalise assisted dying – warning it could pose a ‘serious threat’ to vulnerable people.

The MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale Tim Farron said he will vote against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill which is to be debated in Parliament on November 29.

The Bill, which covers England and Wales, states only terminally ill adults with under six months left to live and a settled wish to die would be eligible.

Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP sponsoring the private members bill, has described it as the most ‘robust’ in the world with ‘three layers of scrutiny’ in the form of a sign-off by two doctors and a High Court judge.

However, Mr Farron said: “I’ll be voting against because the evidence from all the other countries and states that have legalised this practice strongly suggests that it is impossible to build in effective safeguards to prevent vulnerable people opting for an early death due to coercive control, self coercion or in desperation due to a failure of society to provide adequate palliative care or pain control.”

Proponents argue existing legislation fails to respect patient autonomy and discriminates financially between those who can afford to travel abroad to end their lives within the law and those who cannot.

Leading barristers including former director of public prosecutions Sir Max Hill KC have spoken in favour of the Bill, saying it would offer better safeguards than the current system through a process involving two doctors and a judge.

It would also make coercion an offence with a possible punishment of 14 years in jail.

Mr Farron added: “It’s also apparent that countries with assisted dying very quickly see that their relative investment in palliative care falls behind those countries that have chosen not to go down this route.

“This particular bill – which would bring in such a momentous and significant change if it were passed – will be given shockingly little scrutiny due to the nature of the private members bill process. Many who support the principle of assisted dying are opposed to this bill for that reason.

“All the same, I do strongly empathise with those who propose this bill for reasons of compassion, and understand where they are coming from. Nevertheless, I do think this bill is a serious threat to vulnerable people throughout our society and so I will oppose it.”