MP Newsletter #14: Assisted Dying, the Middle East, Foodbanks, and Work Experience

Dear reader,

A very warm welcome to this latest edition of my newsletter.

You may notice that this edition is coming a few days later than usual. That’s because I wanted to wait until after the Assisted Dying vote in Westminster on Friday before giving you my latest update. You can read more on that below.

The last couple of weeks have been incredibly busy. The last week saw two hugely important conscience votes on abortion law and assisted dying – both of which I took with huge importance and seriousness.

I was also delighted to host my first backbench debate in parliament. It was on the topic of international aid and further on in this update I’ll outline the detail further.

Of course, while my focus remains on issues here in Wiltshire, it is impossible to ignore the horrors unfolding in the Middle East this week. The situation appears to be changing by the hour, and I fully support Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey in his plea for the Prime Minister to come before parliament urgently to outline the UK position on the latest strikes.

On a far brighter note, I’m thrilled this edition includes an update from Poppy – a student at St Laurence School in Bradford on Avon who joined my team on work experience recently. It was a pleasure to host her and we have more students joining my team for work experience over the coming weeks.

As ever, I welcome all feedback and comments about this newsletter, and I want to make sure that it is as useful as it can be for my constituents. If you have any suggestions, comments or feedback please do feel free to email me at brian.mathew.mp@parliament.uk. A reminder that you can also contact my office on 01225 434216, and please do get in touch via phone or email to book a surgery appointment. These take place at regular intervals at different villages and towns across the constituency and we will do our very best to fit you in at the one which suits you best.      

If you missed my previous newsletter, you can catch up here.

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Assisted Dying

Last week in Parliament, we faced one of the most challenging and heartfelt debates that the house has seen in years: the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

The proposal aimed to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults with a prognosis of six months or fewer to live. As this was a free vote, like all MPs, I was given the responsibility to vote according to my conscience, informed by careful reflection and conversations with constituents.

This was not an easy decision. I took time to listen to medical professionals, knowledgeable organisations, and, most importantly, people from across our community who shared deeply personal stories and strongly held views on both sides. It was particularly useful hearing directly from constituents at the online event I held a few months ago.

After serious consideration, I chose to vote against the bill. I know this decision will be disappointing to some constituents and come as a relief to others and I do understand the reasons on the other side of the debate for wanting to enable someone to choose the time of their death when suffering from a terminal illness.

I share the concerns of many constituents that individuals facing terminal illness will take the decision based on concerns that they have become a burden upon their family. This is a serious concern for me; I worry that in someone’s final days, this question will loom heavy when it does not need to.

Additionally, we must be honest, the current state of end-of-life care cannot be described as optimal. The provision of hospices across our country is patchy at best, which means that for some, an assisted death might be seen as the preferred option, not as a last resort to be used when palliative care cannot alleviate pain. Just recently I took part in the ‘Men’s Walk to Support’ for Dorothy House Hospice, that lies on the Western edge of our constituency. Four hundred of us took part and collectively raised around £71,000, but this amount does not even touch the sides of the need, especially after the increase in national insurance for employers.

With a properly supported palliative care system, much of the problem that this bill seeks to deal with goes away. I do not think it is right that we introduce the choice for assisted death into a society where many are going without basic end-of-life care. Assisted dying should not be seen as alternative to proper palliative care, so I cannot support this bill in good faith whilst the future of many hospices remains uncertain.

Finally, I have been touched by the stories brought to me by constituents of priceless moments shared with loved ones before their passing. In my own life I have seen how important these are for family members, and it is a great concern that these precious moments could be denied if the bill was passed. People are surprising. Life and indeed death is hard, but it does not mean we should, even if we could, escape from these situations.

Although I voted against the bill, it was passed by a majority in the Commons – albeit with a reduced majority from the Second Reading. I hope that as the practicalities to deliver on this legislation are developed that the very best safeguards will be in place and that implementation of this law is closely reviewed and monitored. 

Palestinian Recognition

As I mentioned at the start of this update, the Middle East is again experiencing a tumultuous time. Of course, for many, the bombardment has been going on for months now.

I’m proud to have joined fellow Liberal Democrats MPs in signing a letter to the Prime Minister urging the UK to recognise the State of Palestine.

We must be clear, Israel preventing humanitarian aid entering Gaza is unlawful and wrong. As a result, Gazans, especially children, are facing starvation on a catastrophic scale. The Government must call for aid routes to be reopened, without which a humanitarian disaster is not only inevitable, it is happening now.

The UK has a responsibility to cease arms sales to Israel.

Additionally, we must work to reduce conflict in Israel and Palestine to create a foundation on which a lasting peace can be built. Illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank inflame tensions and often go hand in hand with the violent and forcible transfer of Palestinians from their ancestral homes, itself a crime under international law.

In January, the IDC (International Development Committee), which I am a member of, published its report into Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In this report we made a number of recommendations including the recognition of Palestine, recognising Israeli action in the West Bank as the ‘forcible transfer’ of Palestinians, sanctioning illegal settlements in the West Bank, and for the UK government to do all it can on the international stage to ensure the flow of aid into Gaza resumes. You can read the report in full here.

As part of the research for this report, I travelled with my colleagues to the West Bank, Jordan, and East Jerusalem.

Recognition is a vital step toward a just and lasting peace, alongside a secure Israel and a free Palestine.

Now is the time for moral leadership.

USAID

International aid is something I am incredibly passionate about. Not just because it is the right thing to do and alleviates poverty and suffering around the world, but also because it keeps us healthier and safer here in the UK.

To that end, it was an honour to host my first backbench business debate in parliament on the topic of Trump’s funding cuts at USAID (The US international aid agency).

As I outlined in the debate (which you can view here):

• The implications for our own Aid programme are threefold - firstly, the UK has effectively lost a key partner in aid, one that we have done great work with, in the past.
• Secondly, the sheer scale of the USAID cuts means that the gaps in funding cannot be filled by other donors, especially as almost all governments, including our own, are now following the US example and are reducing their aid spend to put more into their militaries.
• Thirdly, it could be argued that we, and indeed the world, should have seen this coming and we have all become too reliant on the USA.  

On a personal note, aid cuts hit close to home for me. For much of my career, I worked in international aid – working to give people across Africa and the developing world access to clean drinking water, safe sanitation and good hygiene. These simple things are vital to health, survival and prosperity.

If you’re interested in my further thoughts on this topic, please read my op-ed piece for Parliament Magazine here.

Foodbanks

This week I met with members of the Trussell Trust and Devizes and District Foodbank, who presented me with an open letter highlighting the growing and deeply concerning reliance on foodbanks here in our area.

Their message is powerful and urgent: in 2025, no one should be facing hunger in one of the world’s richest countries.

I listened carefully to the stories and concerns they shared. I will be taking their message to Westminster — calling for action to address the cost of living crisis, improve access to support, and tackle the root causes of food insecurity.

I’m hugely grateful to the dedicated volunteers who keep these vital services running. But let’s be clear: foodbanks should not be a permanent feature of our society.

It's time for change.

Work Experience Update
 

As a year 10 student, last week I was required to complete a week of work experience. As someone with an immense interest in politics, I was lucky enough to spend the week in the office of my local MP.

I began in his office in Melksham. Everyone welcomed me with open arms and proceeded to give me a rough summary of what their jobs entail. Who knew there was so much to do behind the scenes?

On Monday, I started off working on a press release surrounding farming – as someone who has lived in Wiltshire my whole life, this felt particularly relevant.

In order to gain a greater insight into the immense work that goes on all over Wiltshire, I spent Tuesday in the Lib Dem party office in Chippenham. I spent the morning delivering leaflets, learning how Lib-Dems all over the county are connecting and communicating with their local constituents. That afternoon I was back in the office learning about what it actually takes to run a campaign – from the newspapers and letters, to the hidden, strenuous work. I also had far too much fun with the shredder!

Wednesday was the most exciting day of all, when I had the great opportunity to visit Westminster. After being greeted by one of Brian’s colleagues, I was given a tour around the breathtaking building. As someone with a love of and passion for history, it was incredible to be at the scene of so many historical moments. As I was fortunate enough to visit on a Wednesday, there were many exciting debates to watch – it felt staggering to be so close to many important decisions affecting not only me, but millions all over the country.

The best part of the day, unsurprisingly, was lunch. The gochujang tofu was far better than my feeble attempts at home and only added to the mountain of factors leaving me itching to return.

That afternoon, thoroughly fuelled by my tofu, it was time to get to work. I spent the afternoon gathering information on the issue of the NHS in the Southwest (which I then continued on Thursday and Friday back in Melksham), an immense privilege due to the importance of the topic. This was later used to prepare Brian for a debate that evening on NHS funding in the Southwest. The same day, I also had the pleasure of meeting Brian, who made it impossible for me to feel nervous due to his friendly nature and infectious sense of humour.

Thank you so much to Brian and his team for providing me with such a fun and educational week and for powering my love for politics further through your knowledge and kindness. 

Keeping up to date

I just wanted to add in a quick reminder that if you want to keep up to date with what I’m saying and doing in parliament, then this page has a lot of information – from my spoken contributions to my written questions and voting record. Please do take the time to have a look.

Best wishes,

Brian Mathew MP

Your Member of Parliament for Melksham and Devizes

Melksham and Devizes Liberal Democrats

P.S: I always welcome feedback. If you have any suggestions or comments please do get in touch via email.