Kay Oliver: UK correspondent on multiple conservative Prime Ministers voicing opposition to assisted dying bill

The UK is moving closer towards the vote on the new assisted dying bill - but some former leaders don't approve.

Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Baroness May are among the former Prime Ministers who have joined the voices opposing the bill.

UK correspondent Kay Oliver says the current Health Secretary and Justice Secretary also don't support the bill - and it's unclear if it will pass.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Kay Oliver, UK correspondent with US Now, Hey Ky, hello
to Heather. So we've got a bunch of former Prime
ministers who've come out in opposition right to the assisted
dying legislation.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Absolutely. As we move much closer to this vote, which
is in two days time, the three former Conservative MPs
Boris Johnson, Liz Trauss and Baroness may have now added
their voices to all those people who are coming out
against this. The Labor MP Kim Ledbetter has proposed this bill,
the Terminally Ill Adults end of Life Bill, and that's

(00:34):
going to be heard in an open vote in the
Commons on Friday. But it does seem that there are
several voices now along with the Health Secretary who has
said he will vote against it, and the Justice Secretary
has also said she'll vote against it. There's a lot
of debate going on here because people are saying he
gives people who've got six months or less to live

(00:55):
the chance to get permission to take their own lives
from these two doctors at a High Court judge. But
there's a perhaps a chance for a misinterpretation and also
people it's very difficult. A doctor has said it's very
difficult to say how long somebody actually has to live,
particularly in cases like cancer, where we've heard stories of
people who've defied the odds by up to ten twenty

(01:18):
years sometimes. So there is this ongoing debate, and I
think Friday is really going to be one of the
most interesting sessions in the House of Commons for many
a year.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
Is there any indication as to whether this is going
to pass or not?

Speaker 2 (01:32):
Well, a lot of people are holding their cards close
to their chest, Heather. We still don't really know how
Keir Starmer is going to vote. I think at one
point it looked like a lot of people, particularly the
English public, two thirds are in favor. But it does
seem that now there are some doubting voices coming through.
So I still think this is a fifty to fifty

(01:53):
decision and that a lot of people, as I say,
haven't actually said how they're going to vote.

Speaker 1 (01:58):
Now, what do you know about these drinks that are
linked to Colin McGregor. What's going on here?

Speaker 2 (02:04):
Well, Colin McGregor the Mixed Martial arts store. There was
a civil case in Dublin which had a result last
week where that a lady Nakita Hand had accused him
of rape and her accusation was upheld by a civil
jury and he's had to give her a quarter of
a million euros. And it now seems that retailers like

(02:26):
Tesco here on one of the giants, is pulling an
alcohol brand called I think it's number twelve Irish whiskey
from sale in their stores and online because McGregor, who
sold his company for a room at one hundred and
three million pounds three years ago, his image is still
very much linked to this product and it's seeing as

(02:49):
something that they want to they want to pull, want
to get rid of it. And I thought also understand
there's a stout brand that he's linked to that's also
going off the shelves.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
I can kind of understand that now this Chip who's
just died, who was the world's oldest guy, what advice
has he given us for? How did he give us
any advice for how we can also live to the
ripe old age of one one two?

Speaker 2 (03:09):
Well? Do you know I look for that ripe old
advice because when I was out on my little local newspapers,
we always asked that and he didn't. But all I
know is that he was put into the Guinness Book
of Records as the world's oldest man in April twenty
twenty four. I think he lived a fairly calm, quiet life, Heather.
He was in a care home in Southport and apparently

(03:33):
he died surrounded by his loved ones and lots of music,
so maybe music was the key for him. Certainly played
a big part when he was passing away.

Speaker 1 (03:43):
Okay, thanks very much, I really appreciate it. I also
looked for that advice. Kay Oliver, UK correspondent.

Speaker 2 (03:49):
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