Dame Esther Rantzen's daughter Rebecca Wilcox has hit out at Prime Minister Andy Burnham over his decision to effectively rule out progressing assisted dying legislation, accusing him of failing to represent the public.
The 46-year-old, whose mother is living with terminal stage four cancer, issued a heartbreaking statement after Mr Burnham said comprehensive palliative and social care reforms must take priority over the Assisted Dying Bill, which had initially passed under former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Wilcox Blasts 'Unelected' Prime Minister
Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Rebecca Wilcox said: "It is hugely disappointing that an unelected Prime Minister has gone against what Sir Keir Starmer had promised. It's clear that he is not representing the will of the people in this; the majority of the UK is in favour of the Assisted Dying Bill, as are the majority of MPs and the majority of the House of Lords. It has cheated our country."
The newly appointed UK leader had stated that while he understands the strength of feeling on the issue, his government must prioritise improving end-of-life care before considering any legislative change.
This is a breaking story and updates are expected.
