Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said that palliative care and social care need to be fixed before the UK can consider legalising assisted dying. Asked about his position as MPs prepare to debate a Bill on the issue after the summer recess, Burnham told reporters that the funding of these services must be addressed first.
Change from predecessor
His comments mark a change of direction from Sir Keir Starmer, who personally supported legalising assisted dying but said it was a matter of conscience for MPs. Burnham stated: “I take the view that that debate – and I don’t say that there shouldn’t be a debate at some point about those issues – personally, I think there’s something that needs to happen first. That is the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care.”
Previous support and family experience
In 2024, before the first Commons vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, Burnham told BBC Manchester he would “probably vote in favour of it.” He abstained from a 2015 vote on a similar Bill due to concerns over safeguards, but said “family experience in the nine years since that has changed my view,” adding: “I think we do allow people to suffer and families to suffer too much.” He caveated his support as being for the principle, insisting that before any new law is implemented, hospices should be “properly funded and sorted out.”
Catholic background and political consensus
Burnham, who has spoken of his Catholic background though saying he is “not particularly religious,” noted that “Catholic social teaching underpins my politics.” The Catholic Church is staunchly opposed to assisted dying legislation. His views align with several prominent parliamentarians, including Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who have called for improving palliative care before legalising assisted dying. Burnham also announced plans to reform social care, aiming to create a national care service and reach a broad political consensus on funding.
