Assisted dying a 'slippery slope to death on demand', says minister

The state should “never offer death as a service”, the Justice Secretary has said, in a strongly worded intervention over the assisted dying Bill ahead of an historic Commons vote next week.

In a letter to constituents, Shabana Mahmood said she was “profoundly concerned” by the legislation, not just for religious reasons but because it could create a “slippery slope towards death on demand”.

Ms Mahmood has previously made clear she would vote against the Bill alongside Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who faced a backlash after suggesting the changes would cost the NHS more.

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But her letter to voters, first reported by the Observer, goes further, stating: “Sadly, recent scandals – such as Hillsborough, infected blood and the Post Office Horizon – have reminded us that the state and those acting on its behalf are not always benign.

“I have always held the view that, for this reason, the state should serve a clear role. It should protect and preserve life, not take it away. The state should never offer death as a service.”

She said “the greatest risk of all is the pressure the elderly, vulnerable, sick or disabled may place upon themselves”.

Backbench Labour MP for Spen Valley Kim Leadbeater, who has introduced the Bill, said Ms Mahmood was a “good friend” but “good friends don’t always agree”.

The Justice Secretary’s intervention comes despite a letter from Cabinet Secretary Simon Case last month outlining that ministers should remain neutral on the issue and avoid taking part in public debate.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declined to say whether he will back the Bill, arguing that he does not want to pressure MPs. Members