Paul Blomfield appeared on Sky New's with Sophy Ridge to discuss the death of his father. His father, Harry, took his own life after being diagnosed with inoperable cancer. Photo taken from Sky News interview.Currently, assisted dying is illegal in England and Wales under the Suicide Act 1961. Under the Act, someone judged to have helped the suicide or attempted suicide of another person can be imprisoned for up to 14 years.
“He was offered a job as an airline pilot but he turned it down because he thought there was no future in it."He was a great father. He was a very private person but even so I think he would want me to talk about his death because I know he always believed in giving people a choice and in a sense that should have given me an indication of what he'd do after being given a terminal diagnosis but I didn’t really factor it in."He was quite positive.
“If the law had been different, as it is in other countries, he could have talked to us. He probably could have lived longer. I think he took the decision to go prematurely because he wanted to act while he still could and if he'd been able to talk, we could have planned together and have a little longer. He could have died with his family around him.