Dame Esther's plea to Lords: Don't block assisted dying bill

DAME Esther Rantzen has urged the House of Lords not to block landmark legislation giving terminally ill adults the right to choose to end their life.

- By Jaymi McCann

The assisted dying bill was passed for England and Wales by MPs in the Commons with a majority of 23 votes on Friday but opponents have vowed to continue their resistance in the unelected chamber.

Assisted dying campaigner Dame Esther said yesterday: "I don't need to teach the House of Lords how to do their job. They know it very well, and they know that laws are produced by the elected chamber.

"Their job is to scrutinise, to ask questions, but not to oppose.

"So yes, people who are adamantly opposed to this bill, and they have a perfect right to oppose it, will try to stop it going through the Lords.