House of Lords Debates Assisted Dying Bill

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

The debate is likely to run all day, until eight at night, with each peer given a few minutes to make a case.

Proponents will argue that it is cruel to prevent people facing a painful death to take their lives early with the help of doctors and loved ones.

But those opposing the policy told Sky News that disabled people face misdiagnoses at the end of life, and feel pressured into taking their lives because they don't want to become a burden on their families.

They fear this legislation could lead to a "slippery slope".

Lord Falconer is a long-time supporter of a change to the law

Among those supporting Lord Falconer are Steve Riley-Snelling, who watched his wife, Tracy, die screaming in agony in his arms.

When Tracy Snelling was diagnosed last year with terminal stomach cancer she said she wanted to marry her long-term partner Steve, and then die peacefully.

She was willing to travel to Dignitas, an assisted dying clinic in Switzerland, but after the wedding was too sick. Steve told Sky News that no nurse would come with them because it was illegal.

Steve Riley-Snelling watched his wife die in terrible pain

As she deteriorated, he told her he could end it by putting his hand over her mouth and nose, but felt he couldn't because it would be against the law.

He begged nurses to help on her final day, when she was vomiting blood out of her mouth and nose, but they refused.

Steve - who will take a seat in the Lords today - said a change in law could have granted his wife her final wish - a good death.

"This campaign is not about forcing people to die, it's not about the disabled or the elderly being compelled to die," he said.

Tanni Grey-Thompson is worried some people may feel pressure to die

"This debate is about people who are already condemned to die because they are terminally ill like Tracy was. Tracy did not want to die."

He said his wife - who was a senior figure in a major bank - was desperate to live.

But opponents argue this is not just about cancer sufferers.

Paralympian peer Tanni Grey-Thompson told Sky News there were a wide range of disabilities with which people could be told they were close to death at a bad time of year - but then survive for many more years.

She said that had happened to another peer - Baroness Campbell - who will be speaking in the debate as well.

She also argued that she feared a "slippery slope" - pointing to how the abortion bill began as a very specific piece of legislation and then slowly widened with time.

Opponents could put up a "wrecking amendment" to stop the legislation but sources say they are unlikely to do so, partly because of a desire to have the debate.

There are also fears they could lose the vote. But they will hope that the legislation will not turn into law because there is insufficient time before the general election.

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