1. This statement contains several inaccurate or confused claims. First, Edwards says the bill is only for those “at the very end of their lives.” But the bill’s “6-month prognosis” criterion is very broad: 1 in 5 of those eligible will actually have at least 3 years to live.

Lauren Edwards MP statement says “[The TIA bill] was rightly described as the safest and most robust assisted dying law anywhere in the world” No. It was only described this way by the people trying to push it through. Here is how others described the Bill: 1. The Royal College of Physicians said the Bill is unsafe 2. The Royal College of Psychiatrists said the Bill is unworkable, and unsafe 3. The British Geriatrics Society said the Bill’s safeguards are not adequate 4. Domestic abuse charities said the Bill is unsafe 5. Organisations representing disabled people said the Bill is unsafe 6. Royal College of GPs says the Bill lacks adequate safeguards 7. Lord Stevens, ex NHS CEO, said legislating for assisted dying in the current climate of hospice cuts is “utterly ridiculous” 8. MIND says the safeguards are not adequate 9. The CLADD group at KCL (DOI) have said the Bill is “not fit for purpose” 10. The British Association of Social Workers say the Bill’s is not safe enough Spot the pattern?

Former Labour deputy leader Roy Hattersley dies aged 93 ft.trib.al/MUlnvro

Absolutely agree. Same here. What on earth are you thinking @UKLabour?

It was described as the “safest and most robust assisted dying legislation” by **supporters** of the Bill. Not a single Royal Medical College OR Professional Body in this country will say the Bill is safe. Let alone it being the “safest”.

Absolutely no surprise that there are forces out there trying to bring back Assisted Suicide, though I have a feeling from just the initial way it’s been communicated that Lauren Edwards is going to make Kim Leadbeater look like Gladstone.

Quite apart from the malign policy, the recklessness and sidelining of expert organisations and disability groups, reintroducing feels politically insane on what may be the eve of a contentious leadership race. As if Labour MPs needed another reason to hate each other right now!

It's back. Incredible how giving the state powers to assist people to die, is a now considered a higher priority for some politicians than fixing an NHS that struggles to keep people alive. Grrr.

In 1910, nonconformist Liberal MPs were angry when risqué dancer Maud Allan came to one of Asquith's garden parties. A colleague remarked to him that it was characteristic of their party that 'so many Members who object to meeting the lady were able apparently to recognise her'

This is true. I am regularly shocked by the terrible business sense of university leaders, who use corporate lingo to justify self-feeding bureaucratic monstrosities.

Trooping the Colour. Where we convince ourselves everything is all right with our armed forces and we are still a nation worth reckoning with. It feels depressingly hollow this year.

God save The King!

#MyXAnniversary Back on Twitter after deleting my old account after 14 years. So here’s to the first anniversary of my new account.

John Prideaux, our US editor, takes a road trip to mark the country’s 250th birthday economist.com/united-states/…

Melvyn Bragg on his friend David Hockney thetimes.com/culture/art/art…

Sorry, but students at TU read.

John Healey's letter resigning as Defence Secretary set out a damning indictment of the Government's inability and unwillingness "to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats." Al Carns's resignation as Armed Forces Minister, only a few hours later, powerfully reinforced this point and opened up a second political front, robustly attacking the Government's approach to Northern Ireland legacy cases. The attack was fully warranted and a sharp change in approach to legacy cases needs to be introduced now. ✍️ Richard Ekins Article | spectator.com/article/why-is…

And now Al Carns resigns. The Treasury line in the late 1930s was the best defence against Hitler was free trade and sound money. 90 years on it sings the same refrain, holding Reeves and Starmer - incapable of leading or arguing back - in its ice-cold death grip.