Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed on how a law can be designed to properly safeguard and support legalised assisted dying in the UK.

Assisted dying: Sir Keir Starmer 2-WAY phone interview with Esther Rantzen - main camera; ENGLAND: London: INT Sir Keir Starmer MP (Labour Party leader) interview SOT Q: IT'S DIFFICULT WHEN YOU'RE SPEAKING TO SOMEONE LIKE ESTHER RANTZEN WHO'S VERY INDEPENDENT MINDED, EDUCATED, SUCCESSFUL, STRONG OPINIONS, TO ARGUE WITH HER WISH FOR A CHOICE, BUT THERE WILL BE OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE MORE VULNERABLE WHO MIGHT BE COERCED / HOW DO YOU DESIGN A LAW THAT ALLOWS ESTHER TO LIVE OUT HER WISHES BUT DOESN'T DRAG PEOPLE INTO AN ASSISTED SUICIDE WHO DONT ACTUALLY WANT TO DIE, WHO ARE BEING COERCED - I think that's the crucial question / first I think the debate has to be conducted with respect; I personally think the law should be changed, there will be people equally passionate with powerful points to make about why it shouldn't be / you won't be surprised to learn that when I consulted on this for the prosecutor's guidelines, the churches and faith groups and others were very powerful in the arguments they made that there should be absolutely no more flexibility in the law / we have to respect that and find the right balance / in the end, I do think most people coalesce around the idea that if there is a case where it is obviously compassionate, it is the settled intent of the individual, and there are safeguards with teeth to protect the vulnerable, I've seen cases involving people fluctuating, often with quite difficult mental health issues where there's that essential vulnerability, or cases where someone is trying to take advantage, then those cases absolutely have to be safeguarded against / that is what we tried to do when I was prosecutor but within the guidelines, the task here is can that not be done in a law / I think it can, if you get to that balance, that's the right place to be / we have to listen to those who've got a contrary view on this, if this descends into binary party-political debate, then that will not do justice to all those that are going throu...