Blur’s drummer, Dave Rowntree, has described the current assisted dying legislation in the UK as “psychopathic” after his terminally ill ex-wife made the journey to Dignitas in Switzerland to pass away alone.
The 60-year-old supported Paola Marra, a former music industry and charity worker whom he married in the 1990s, during her struggle with breast and bowel cancer before she traveled alone to Zurich in March following a terminal diagnosis.
She chose this path because the “pain and suffering can become unbearable,” as she articulated in a film released posthumously at the age of 53 titled The Last Request.
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Ms Marra made a video to be released after her death
Rowntree expressed to The Guardian that the contemporary legal framework exhibited “absolutely no empathy for the sufferer.”
He mentioned that he was adding his voice to calls for reform of the law ahead of the second reading scheduled later this month for a bill that seeks to legalize assisted dying in England and Wales under strict regulations.
Dave Rowntree. Pic: Dave Hogan/Hogan Media/Shutterstock
The Parklife musician remarked that the stark choice between criminalization or an agonizing and protracted death was “brutal,” and he felt “incredibly angry” about the circumstances.
“If you are contemplating taking your own life, you must do so in isolation and solitude, and anyone even suspected of providing assistance in any form can face arrest, potentially leading to a 14-year prison sentence,” he conveyed to the publication.
“This is utterly ruthless for the sick individual because anyone they confide in risks being arrested, forcing them to act covertly, like a criminal.
“Moreover, when the moment arrives for them to choose to die with dignity, they must do so completely unsupported by anyone, alone, without the ability to hold anyone’s hand or embrace someone for a final farewell.”
Pics: Family handout
Rowntree expressed his willingness to accompany Marra to Switzerland
Rowntree stated that he had offered to travel to Switzerland with
Ms. Marra, after attempting to convince her that a more serene death could be achieved in her residence in London, ultimately received a rejection.
She initially altered her position but later chose to pass away in solitude and urged him to support the movement aimed at modifying the assisted dying legislation.
While the complete text remains unreleased, a second reading is set for 29 November of a private member’s bill that would permit adults suffering from terminal illnesses to seek and receive assistance in ending their lives, contingent upon specific safeguards and protections being in place.
When it is finally presented to Members of Parliament, possibly next year, they will have the opportunity to cast a free vote, allowing them to act according to their beliefs rather than adhering to party directives.
Dame Esther Rantzen and broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby have endorsed the initiative advocating for a change in the law.
Pics: Family handout
‘This is psychopathic’
Rowntree, whose father John succumbed to bowel cancer earlier this year, remarked on the existing legislation: “The system is evading its responsibilities regarding challenging issues in a manner I find intolerable.
“That is the fundamental role of the state. The government can wage war… and if the state is unwilling to make such challenging decisions, then what on earth is the purpose of having a state?
“The current situation is psychopathic, because the primary objective should be to alleviate the hardships faced by the true victims here – those who are terminally ill.”
According to current legislation, an individual could face up to 14 years in prison for aiding their loved ones in traveling to Dignitas, although the guidance from the Crown Prosecution Service indicates that prosecutions in such cases are “unlikely”.
