'Give us the ­confidence of a good death': Dame Esther Rantzen calls on MPs to allow assisted dying vote

3 September 2024, 06:09 | Updated: 3 September 2024, 06:16

Dame Esther Rantzen has issued a heartfelt plea for MPs to allow a vote on assisted dying.

Dame Esther, who has terminal cancer, has been pushing for a change in the law on assisted dying, which is currently illegal in the UK.

MPs will get the opportunity to enter a ballot to introduce a ­Private Member’s Bill of their choice this Thursday.

The Childline founder hopes the winner chooses to push ahead with a bill on assisted dying.

In a heartfelt plea to the winning MP, she said: "I urge you now to give hope to ­people like me with a terminal illness. Please give us the ­confidence of a good death. 

"If you believe part of your role in Parliament is to listen when the public says a change in the law is now urgent, please, please ­prioritise this crucial life-and-death decision. For some of us, time is running out."

It comes after Dame Esther told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast that she will open a bottle of champagne live on air if a free vote on assisted dying goes ahead.

Read more: 'A Glimpse of Hope': TV star and campaigner Esther Rantzen welcomes new assisted dying bill

Read more: Dame Esther Rantzen says she will 'open a bottle of champagne live on air' if assisted dying vote goes ahead

Opening up about when she was told her cancer was terminal, she told the Daily Mail: "I could face dying peacefully at home ­surrounded by the people I love.

"But that’s not always what happens. What terrified me was knowing my loved ones might have to watch me suffering unbearably and could do nothing to help."

She added: "I know from my own experience that watching someone have a bad death obliterates all the happy memories.

"And I don’t want that for my children. I want them to have long-lasting, happy memories of me and our life together. I don’t want them to be ­traumatised by my painful death."

Dame Esther revealed late last year that she had joined Dignitas to ensure her ­children suffer as little as possible.

Dame Esther Rantzen joins Nick Ferrari

"The law as it stands is a cruel mess," she said.

"I’ve seen my mother, my beloved husband [documentary filmmaker ­Desmond Wilcox] and my dog, Marmite, all die – and it’s my dog’s death that I envy. 

"Marmite had two breakfasts, a long walk and then a quick end in the arms of his family, never ­knowing how ill he was.

"That’s when I realised how much more merciful we are to our pets than we are to the people we love."

She continued: "This issue affects so many ­people so deeply. But I believe the time has come at last to make the choice available to everyone who needs it."

If the issue is not picked at the upcoming ballot, there will be another opportunity in November, when a bill introduced by Lord Falconer in the House of Lords will get its ­second reading.

The bill proposes that terminally ill, mentally competent adults have the option of assisted dying.

Several safeguards would in place, which have already been tried and tested in countries that allow assisted dying.

'I want to go out with champagne and caviar' says Dame Esther Rantzen

Speaking to LBC in April, Dame Esther said that she was grateful to everyone who had signed her petition for a parliamentary debate on the subject.

"I want to say to them that I hope it hasn't been a painful process for them," she said.

"Because I know for a lot of people, it has meant reliving very, very difficult memories of someone you love, close to you, maybe a member of your family or a friend, dying in pain and asking for help and not receiving it.

"So I know that for a number of the people who've signed that will be a difficult memory and for others, they may have a terminal illness as I have.

"And just hope and pray that a change in the law may happen, which will give us all confidence of knowing that we will have a pain-free death if that's what we asked for."

Asked by Nick if she would open a bottle of champagne live on air if and when the date for a free vote on assisted dying is agreed, Dame Esther said: "That is a deal. Something to look forward to. Thank you."