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rajivshah.bsky.social
Interested in law, politics, the constitution, and policy. Former special adviser in MOJ, AGO, and No 10. @RajivShah90 at the other place
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I decided to write something about some of the things being said in British parliamentary committee on assisted dying. open.substack.com/pub/mssineno...

ON THE BLOG: Why the French parliament tried to introduce PMQs @calixtebloquet.bsky.social and @ruxandrasrbn.bsky.social explain why French politicians decided to experiment with a French version of PMQs. This is the first of a 2-part series on PMQs in France.

Sir James Munby, former head of the Family Division of the High Court, has given his opinion on the supposedly improved Assisted Suicide Bill. His view: "it still falls lamentably short of providing adequate safeguards". transparencyproject.org.uk/assisted-dyi...

Sir James Munby (former president of the Family Division of the High Court) on the latest proposals to replace the High Court with a panel of experts transparencyproject.org.uk/assisted-dyi...

This is a guest post by Sir James Munby, and it follows on from earlier posts about the proposed Assisted Dying reforms here, here and here. In Assisted Dying: What Role for the Judge? More Thoughts, published on the Transparency Project website on 6... https://transparencyproject.org.uk/?p=29356

Looking forward to more deep insights from Politico. "Wait, there were *two* presidents named Roosevelt?" "Not many people know that RFK Jr isn't the first in his family to enter politics." "His name was Lincoln? Really? Like the tunnel?"

Proponents really thought it would be a walk in the park Great that SW1 (mostly) saw it as the incredibly complex issue that it is

Of the 373 items of written evidence submitted to Kim Leadbeater’s #AssistedDying Bill committee, 79% are critical of the Bill and only 11% supportive. See independent analysis at link. docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

🧵/ I agonised over whether to write this Sunday Times piece. Whipped-up emotion, hate & vitriol now dominate discussions of assisted dying on here - appallingly. We have to be able to converse in good faith - & concerns should not be dismissed as "noise". (1/n) www.thetimes.com/article/5188...

This is brilliantly helpful. 5 myths about mental capacity (relevant to the TIA / assisted dying bill) from Prof Alex Ruck Keene KC www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk/mental-capac...

I always enjoy this annual Politico list as it is presented as a bit of fun, yet is always inadvertently revealing about how Westminster actually works. www.politico.eu/article/west...

Fascinating that lots of people who are pro assisted dying are saying "not this Bill"

As someone who is pro-body autonomy, and in an ideal society would be pro-assisted dying (and would want it for myself). I can't support the current Bill going through Parliament. It lacks key safeguards, and Social attitude must change before we can truly have full autonomy.

Plans for Assisted Dying Review Panels have be released. It's a massive change to the Bill, and I can't believe it can be made and accepted without hearing new evidence and starting scrutiny again. It turns out "Judge-plus" is no such thing. publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbi...

Just a message to producers or editors that I'm a disabled journalist and campaigner and I'm available to write, comment and speak about the following things: - Benefit reforms - the eventual disability green paper - the assisted dying bill

My sense is that a lot of MPs who voted for it in second reading have been put off by this. Whether it's enough to kill the bill is to be seen.

Before the Leadbeater bill's second reading, I co-wrote, with distinguished barristers and academics, a memorandum about the legal aspects of the bill for MPs. We have decided to publish it here. drive.google.com/file/d/1DsF3...

Just did a pre-rec for Sky on the latest chaos around the assisted dying bill … great other people are waking up to just what a car crash this is

Assisted dying safeguards being watered down already www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The decisions will no longer be made by a High Court judge but by a panel (lawyer, social worker and psychiatrist). The fact a judge chairs the overall commission has nothing to do with who makes the decision The Bill was sold as the safest in world based on High Court. That's gone.

This is absolutely not a fair representation of the evidence you were provided with last week, Kim. I spoke in sincere good faith, & as a palliative care doctor who is *not* opposed to assisted dying. As you know, I pushed back strongly against this claim from Chris Whitty. (1/n)

Autonomy and assisted dying / suicide – an important judicial light shed from an unexpected corner: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk/autonomy-and...

Assisted Dying: am reading a lot of “I am for it in principle, but not this Bill” over last few days. My Radio 4 Today head-to-head and my concerns about some of the safety aspects on patients self-administering lethal drugs. From 52:33 onwards: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

This is a very good letter re JR The major problem is not JR but is that Parliament passes lots of laws that require planning authorities to consider all sorts of things Duties to consider are the worst of both worlds: burdensome to comply but too weak to change outcomes They should all go