The Assisted Dying debate took another turn this week when showbiz royalty in the form of Dame Esther Rantzen criticised Labour Health Secretary Wes Streeting for stating his opposition to proposed legislation, saying the current situation could force her to “fly to Zurich to die alone”.

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Today a reader responds to her “psychological intimidation”.

Denis Bruce of Bishopbriggs writes:

"'Will you force me to fly to Dignitas to die alone?'

"Dame Esther Rantzen's most recent remark, in a letter sent to Wes Streeting for daring to declare his distaste for a law on assisted dying, is nothing short of psychological intimidation. Should her sense of entitlement, which derives from her position as a respected and iconic broadcaster, upon which she has traded for several months now to capture the headlines on this topic, dictate that the law she would like to see on the statute books must come to pass?

(Image: Newsquest) "Everyone has great sympathy for the terminal condition of stage four lung cancer that she is suffering from and no one would wish to see her ending her days in excruciating pain. But the door is always open to her to opt for palliative care where pain relief will be on offer to minimise any physical torment coming her way.

"Furthermore, she would not have to die alone in a hospice where her relatives and friends could gather to be with her in her final moments when she is slipping into irreversible unconsciousness.

"While she advocates what she considers the compassionate choice, she should take into account that she will be guilty of opening the door to major extensions of assisted dying despite the supposed stringent safeguards surrounding such a law in its initial stages, if such a law comes into force.

"Dignity in death is important but it should be supervised with compassionate care under proper medical supervision in a hospice with access to the most effective pain relief medications to ease the patients' pain on their way out of life."

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