The 'right to die' campaign received a huge boost last night when a former Cabinet minister revealed he had changed his mind after a deathbed encounter with his father.
Michael Forsyth, who was Scottish secretary under John Major, is speaking out on the eve of a key debate on the issue in the House of Lords.
The 67-year-old peer says that – despite having voted against the reform – he is switching sides because of his father John.
'He had this horrible bladder cancer and was in a lot of pain,' the peer says in an interview with the Daily Mail. 'When I went to see him just before he died I said "I'm really sorry dad, that you are suffering".'
Lord Forsyth, who is close to tears as he recalls the incident, adds: 'He said to me "You're to blame". I was taken aback. I wasn't expecting it and said "What do you mean?"
The 'right to die' campaign received a huge boost last night when former Cabinet minister Michael Forsyth (pictured) revealed he had changed his mind after a deathbed encounter with his father
'He said "You have consistently voted against the right to die; and I want that; and I can't get it and I've got this pain". He wasn't doing it in a nasty way. His view was "Look I'm in pain, I know what I'm doing, why should I be denied this right?"
'I didn't have an answer. He died within a week – it was the last time I saw him. That is why I have changed my mind.'
The Assisted Dying Bill, which would allow the terminally ill to legally seek assistance to end their lives, will have its second reading in parliament tomorrow.
If passed, it will enable adults who are of sound mind and have six months or less to live to be provided with life-ending medication with the approval of two doctors and a High Court judge.
Lord Forsyth recalls the traumatic events leading up to the exchange with his businessman father, who lived in Montrose.
'He was at home, it was the weekend and he couldn't get any morphine because the GP surgery was closed. He had to go all the way to hospital in Dundee 30 miles away to get a prescription,' he says.
'Then they had to find a pharmacist, but they could only provide a limited amount because of rules on controlled drugs.'
Distraught at his father's inability to find relief from his excruciating pain, Lord Forsyth
