B

Baroness Murphy (CB)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 13 March 2026

Debate

Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Contribution

My Lords, “morally abhorrent” is quite distressing. I am a doctor; I have been a doctor for 50 years and have worked with dying people quite regularly in hospital, particularly in general hospitals. I find the notion that doctors all find this abhorrent is utterly wrong. We know that at least half support the principles of the Bill and can recognise that it is something that they would like to support. I am not talking about the medical royal colleges; they take one line—in fact, most of them are neutral about the principle. The reality is not as the noble Lord, Lord Moylan, describes. Certainly, I do not feel the way he does. I find it very offensive when somebody says that it is morally abhorrent. It is not morally abhorrent to help people when they are desperately suffering and to respond during a conversation to what they are talking about and what they are asking for.

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