Kim Leadbeater denies watering down safeguards on assisted dying bill

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Kim Leadbeater has insisted that her assisted dying bill is not being watered down after she announced plans to remove the need for a High Court judge to sign off applications. open image in gallery Kim Leadbeater is the Labour MP behind the assisted dying legislation Ms Leadbeater said the panel would be “wholly independent” and would need to be satisfied the decision by the dying person was “voluntary and not the result of pressure or coercion, and that the person had the capacity to make that decision”. Needs to be voted down.” Former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron added: “Lots of MPs voted for the bill at second reading in the expectation that there would be stronger safeguards added at committee stage and yet we now see that even the weak safeguards that existed, are being dropped.” And Tory MP Danny Kruger, who led the opposition at its second reading, said: “Approval by the High Court - the key safeguard used to sell the Assisted Suicide Bill to MPs - has been dropped. open image in gallery The Assisted Dying Bill in paper form Ms Leadbeater said the two independent doctors would be required to submit reports to the panel on each person applying to the commission for permission to die.