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Dame Prue Leith says feeling like a burden to family is ‘legitimate reason’ for assisted dying access after clashing with MP son over issue-Rachael O'Connor-Entertainment – Metro
The presenter made the comments on Piers Morgan Uncensored.
Dame Prue Leith appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored to talk about assisted dying (Picture: TalkTV)
Dame Prue Leith has suggested that feeling like a burden is a ‘legitimate reason’ for access to assisted dying.
The Great British Bake Off star, 82, is a vocal supporter of the right to die movement and is hoping to see assisted suicide for the terminally ill introduced in the United Kingdom.
Dame Prue holds the exact opposite view to her son, Tory MP Danny Kruger, who is completely against assisted dying and suggested in a recent speech that people would choose it ‘because they feel they are a burden to their families.’
On Wednesday, the much-loved presenter appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored where she said that at her age she was ‘headed for the big decision’ and wanted to be able to make the choice to end her life when the time comes.
Assisted dying is legal in some countries, including in certain parts of the United States.
Playing ‘devil’s advocate’ on the show, Piers shared statistics from a 2020 report which stated that 53% of people who used the Death With Dignity Act that year cited ‘being a burden’ to their family or caregiver as a reason they wanted to end their life.
The presenter suggested feeling like a burden was a ‘legitimate reason’ to want to access assisted dying Picture: TalkTV)
To which Dame Prue responded that feeling like a burden is ‘a legitimate reason.’
‘If you know you’re causing your family a lot of anxiety… and worry about you, and you are in either huge pain or not enjoying your life, then it is a valid reason,’ she suggested.
Clarifying, Dame Prue went on: ‘I’m not saying… that people should want to commit suicide or have an assisted death just because they are a burden. But being a burden is one of the things that are so distressing.’
She admitted that the idea a family member could pressure an ill loved one to end their life for inheritance or other reasons was a ‘serious worry’ but the risks are ‘quite small.’
The presenter suggested there should be ‘safeguards’ in place to make sure it is a person’s ‘real choice’ and they’re ‘not being in any way coerced,’ but said the fear was a ‘bit of a bogeyman.’
She clarified she believes there should be ‘safeguarding’ measures in place to ensure dying is the person’s actual wish without outside pressure (Picture: TalkTV)
Piers went on to compare Dame Prue and her son, MP Kruger’s conflicting views, to which she insisted she wanted to make the choice when the time comes and joked that he hoped he doesn’t drum up support from his ‘mates in Parliament.’
‘I should be in control of my own life,’ she insisted. ‘[The idea that] somehow human life is so sacred, sacred to whom? It’s not sacred to me.’
She clarified that she and her son would only be discussing assisted dying if she only had about six months or less to live, and suggested: ‘I don’t think my son would make my last six months even more distressing by refusing me that.’
Dame Prue spoke about her and her son’s conflicting views(Picture: TalkTV)
‘When it comes to my own life it’s my life. Tough. He’s going to lose me within six months anyway so man up and bare it a few months earlier.’
It’s far from the only thing Dame Prue and her Conservative son disagree on, with Kruger coming under scrutiny for suggesting a woman shouldn’t have ‘absolute autonomy’ over her body.
The MP made the comments following the US overturning Roe v Wade, which has led to abortion bans in some states.
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Writing in The Spectator after her son’s comments, Dame Prue – who had an unsafe abortion aged 15 – said she doesn’t agree with Mr Kruger, but that she still loves and admires him.
Metro.co.uk has reached out to reps for Dame Prue for comment.
Piers Morgan Uncensored airs weekdays at 8pm on TalkTV.
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