SOPHIE'S PLEA: DON'T SNATCH HOPE AWAY FROM US

Terminally ill mum calls on 'shameless' peers to stop blocking assisted dying law

- BY HANNA GEISSLER Health Editor

TERMINALLY ill mother Sophie Blake has issued a desperate plea to seven peers blocking the assisted dying bill in the House of Lords.

The 52-year-old, who has stage four breast cancer, fears a change in the law will come too late for her if a small group of hardline opponents succeeds in talking out the landmark legislation.

She said yesterday: "While these shameless Lords try to block the bill, terminally ill people are seeing their conditions progress or cancers spread, and living in fear of the pain and suffering that may lie ahead.

"There have been three funerals in the last month for my much-loved friends from the cancer community. As I try to focus on living and making memories with my daughter Maya, I'm aware any further delay to this legislation could mean it comes too late for me.

"We were given hope we would be able to live in peace with our terminal illnesses now that hope is being taken from us." The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passed two major votes among MPs last year and was sent to the House of Lords for scrutiny last June.

It will only become law if it passes a third reading with the peers and both Houses agree on the final text before the end of the parliamentary session, expected in May.

Supporters believe a majority of the Lords would vote in favour of the bill if it reached a third reading vote.

But seven hardline opponents have been accused of frustrating the process by tabling hundreds of amendments and filibustering with long, repetitive speeches in debates.