As someone who earns a sizeable crust from expressing his opinions, Piers Morgan is usually a stranger to the fine Scottish art of swithering. Indeed, the average watcher of the Sunday politics shows would be hard-pushed to think of any subject that stumps him.
That has changed recently with Labour MP Kim Leadbeater’s bill to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults with less than six months to live. The bill, which comes before the Commons on Friday, applies to England and Wales. A separate bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament by Liam McArthur MSP in March this year.
Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg yesterday, the former GMB presenter and newspaper editor said he had “been round the houses” on assisted dying. “Normally I feel certain about almost everything, but on this one I’ve changed my mind quite a lot,” he said.
Also on the panel were former Cabinet minister Nadine Dorries and the broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, both of whom spoke movingly of their experiences with a family member who was dying.
Morgan is not alone in his hesitancy about assisted dying. Across the Sunday newspapers and politics shows the personal mixed with the political as guests set out the arguments in favour and against.
The divisions within parties go all the way up to Cabinet level. Despite Downing Street making it clear to ministers early on that they should avoid taking a position publicly, some have done so. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, is opposed. He wants more support for palliative care.........