Labour MP and government minister Mike Kane has said he will vote against the Assisted Dying Bill on Friday, citing his Catholic faith and concerns about the legislative process behind the proposed law.
Speaking on Premier’s A Mucky Business with Tim Farron podcast, Kane, who represents Wythenshawe and Sale East and serves as a Minister in the Department for Transport, described the Bill as “inappropriate” in both its form and timing.
“I won’t be voting for assisted dying,” Kane said. “The Gospel of John 10:10 reminds us that the Lord came to give life, and give it in abundance. I’m a big supporter of palliative care, of end-of-life care within the NHS.”
MPs are being given a free vote on the Bill, allowing them to vote according to their conscience rather than along party lines.
A practising Catholic and vice-president of the Catholic Union, Kane also raised concerns about the bill’s route through Parliament, arguing that a Private Member’s Bill is not the appropriate vehicle for such a significant legislative change.
"This is not the way to handle an issue of this magnitude,” he said. “Even if you do believe in the principle, the process has lacked sufficient scrutiny. A letter has gone in this week, signed by over 50 MPs, highlighting how little time it’s had on the floor.”
The letter, addressed to Leader of the House Lucy Powell, calls on the government to delay Friday’s third reading vote and allocate more parliamentary time for scrutiny of a Bill that could bring “fundamental changes” to healthcare in England.
Among the signatories are several Christian MPs, including Florence Eshalomi (Vauxhall and Camberwell Green), Dawn Butler (Brent East), and Anna Dixon (Shipley).
The Assisted Dying Bill would permit terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and an expert panel comprising a social worker, senior legal figure, and psychiatrist.
Since its initial approval in Parliament, key changes include replacing a High Court safeguard with the expert panel and doubling the implementation period to a maximum of four years, should the bill become law.
Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who introduced the bill, remains confident of victory in Friday’s vote and warned that, if it fails, it could be another decade before Parliament revisits the issue.
Speaking alongside bereaved and terminally ill individuals, she called for urgent reform, emphasising the suffering caused by current laws. While critics argue the bill lacks adequate protections for vulnerable people, Leadbeater maintains it is the most robust legislation of its kind.
A recent YouGov poll shows strong public support, with 75 per cent of adults in favour of legalising assisted dying.
The Bill has also sparked broader debate within faith-based and care communities, with some Catholic leaders warning that religious hospices could be forced to close if required to participate in assisted dying procedures.