Gordon Brown says daughter’s death showed value of ‘good’ dying over assisted dying

The former prime minister Gordon Brown has declared his opposition to the legalisation of assisted dying, saying the death of his newborn daughter in January 2002 convinced him of the “value and imperative of good end-of-life care”.In a rare and poignant glimpse into the tragedy, he says the time he and his wife, Sarah, spent at their baby Jennifer’s bedside “as her life ebbed away” were “among the most precious days of [our] lives”.In an article for the Guardian, Brown says the debate on assisted dying is moving too fast given the “profound ethical and practical issues”, and the state of the NHS means this is not the right time for a far-reaching decision.Instead of a yes/no vote in parliament, Brown writes that a commission to devise a “fully funded, 10-year strategy for improved and comprehensive palliative care” should be set up. He cites unpublished polling showing that half the public are not confident of the government’s ability to fund specialist end-of-life care, and that more than two-thirds back a commission on the issue

What are the key issues in the assisted dying bill debate?

MPs are due to vote next Friday on Kim Leadbeater’s bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. About 100 MPs are thought to be undecided and the outcome of the vote is uncertain. Here are some of the key issues in the debate.The bill says only someone who has an “inevitably progressive illness, disease or medical condition which cannot be reversed by treatment” and whose death “can reasonably be expected within six months” will be eligible for an assisted death.Most doctors agree that it is difficult to predict with accuracy when someone will die from a terminal illness

How are cabinet ministers likely to vote on assisted dying?

The private member’s bill introduced by the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater that would legalise assisted suicide for people who are terminally ill with less than six months to live will get its first Commons vote on 29 November.As it is a free vote, there is no government position. Cabinet ministers have been asked to stay neutral, although they can confirm previously stated views if directly asked. This is what we know about the cabinet’s likely stances.The most vocal cabinet opponent of the idea – to an extent that has annoyed some colleagues and other MPs who support the bill

Brighton council threw man’s belongings in skip after he died, says brother

The brother of a 29-year-old man found dead in temporary council accommodation says he has been left bereft after his sibling’s belongings were disposed of by council contractors.Simon Byrne had made an appointment with Brighton and Hove officials to collect the possessions of his brother Chris, who had died from a drug overdose. However, when he arrived, he discovered Chris’s lodgings had already been cleared. “I was pointed to a small suitcase in the caretaker’s [building],” he said. “The rest of his things, including his bracelets and other tangible memories, had been thrown into a skip with no opportunity for me as his only surviving family member to go through them

Large parts of adult social care market in England face collapse, thinktank warns

Large parts of England’s adult social care market face collapse as a result of tax and wage rises announced in the budget, with devastating consequences for vulnerable and older people who rely on care services, a leading thinktank has warned.The Nuffield Trust said that while the government has consistently spoken of its long term ambition to reform the social care sector, there may be “little of it left” to reform unless it takes urgent action to stabilise the care market financially.The care sector faced an extra £2.8bn cost burden from next April, the trust estimated, adding most care providers will struggle to shoulder their share of the bill, and at least £1bn extra was needed to keep the market afloat.Care providers, councils and charities have all warned of the potentially dire consequences of national insurance contribution (NIC) changes and rises in the “national living wage” announced by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, last month

Drones could bring guns into prisons in England and Wales, watchdog fears

Guns could be delivered by drones into jails already riven by drug-related gang wars amid an “inadequate” response from the prison service, a leading watchdog has told the Guardian.Charlie Taylor, the HM chief inspector of prisons, said the surge in the use of large unmanned aerial vehicles was his “number one concern” and had increased the possibility that firearms would be used to settle turf wars or attempt to escape.Official figures showed the number of drone incidents at prisons in England and Wales had risen tenfold since 2020 to 1,063 incursions last year.In an interview, Taylor said his concerns had been heightened after inspectors found drones in constant use at HMP Manchester, which houses prisoners considered a risk to the public.“The risk of drugs, plus other sorts of contraband, is huge