00:14I'm extremely upset that this is where we've ended up. The bill could have been passed. It
00:18could have been one of the most important social changes that this government saw through. And
00:24I'm not upset for me, but I'm upset for the families that I've spent time with. I'm upset
00:29for the terminally ill people who have shared their stories with me and shared their fear
00:34and just that desire for the control that they want to take in their final few months of life.
00:46I'm bitterly disappointed about the way that the Lords, or a small minority of the Lords,
00:52have blocked it this time by the most appalling procedural tactics. But if we hadn't gone
00:57through this process, then we would have no prospect next session of getting it through.
01:03And I believe next session we will get it through.
01:06I do feel that terminal people and the many, many families I've met have been let down by what's
01:14happened. Some people have campaigned on this for decades. They've been doing this for a long time,
01:19and I think for them, after the really positive feeling of the bill passing the Commons and thinking,
01:24goodness me, finally we're giving people choice to what's happened over the last few months,
01:28I think that is really disappointing and I do find that upsetting.
01:38We really, really need to look at our procedures because process allowing a small number of peers
01:46to block a bill passed by the Commons feels completely wrong.
01:57The debate that we've had in this country about the choice that I believe terminal people should
02:02have in their dying days has been moved on to the next level. And the law will change. It's a
02:07matter
02:07of time. It's happening in many of the jurisdictions. Public support for changing the law is huge. So
02:12even though it's been incredibly hard work, it's been extremely emotional. I've spent time with
02:15the terminal ill people themselves and the families who've lost those runs under very traumatic
02:20circumstances. It's absolutely worth it. And the bill will come back and the law will eventually
02:24change. And I think that provides reassurance and comfort amidst the frustration and the anger
02:28about what's happened this time.
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