The Education Secretary will vote against legalizing assisted dying when Parliament has its say next week, deepening a Cabinet divide on the issue.

Bridget Phillipson claimed there was not enough protection It is in a private member’s bill that will be debated and voted on by MPs on 29 November.

Sir Keir Starmer has given his party a free vote on legislation put forward by Labor supporter Kim Leadbeater.

The legislation would allow terminally ill adults who are expected to die within six months to legally take their own lives, as long as it is backed by a Supreme Court judge and two independent doctors.

Sir Keir’s Cabinet to discuss Bill with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Lisa NandyThe Minister of Culture is also expected to support this.

Ms Phillipson becomes the fifth Cabinet minister expected to oppose the bill. Wes Streeting, Minister of Health and Angela RaynerThe Deputy Prime Minister will also vote against it.

‘I haven’t changed my mind’

Asked for her view on the proposed changes to the law, Ms Phillipson told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “As you know, the Government has taken a neutral position on this issue. Therefore, individual Members of Parliament must come to their own conclusions and come to their own views as individuals.

“I last voted against this measure when I was before Parliament in 2015 and I have not changed my mind during that time.”

Asked why she opposed the plans, Ms Phillipson said: “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t want to go into too much detail about this.

“Not because I want to avoid your question, but because I think it is right that individual Members of Parliament can consider this, and since the Government has adopted a neutral position on this issue, it is right for me to approach the issue responsibly.

“First of all, the views I held then are the views I hold now; it’s about making sure there are safeguards in place to prevent any insinuation of coercion.

“Now, those who are putting forward the legislation will argue that the legislation delivers this, and it is for each Member of Parliament to consider how to achieve these issues.”

Ms Phillipson added that the debate involved “difficult, sensitive… emotions” and that it was important for each MP to make up his or her own mind.

When asked how he reconciled the government’s neutral position with his own statement, he said: “If you ask me a question, I will answer it.

“I think it’s important to answer that question directly when asked, because I think it would look weird if I didn’t do that the way you framed that question on air.”

‘Enough time was allocated’ to the debate

Last month, outgoing Cabinet Secretary Simon Case warned Government ministers not to share their views on the issue in Parliament or in the press.

But his words seem to have fallen on deaf ears; Mr Streeting was among those who made these remarks. various public interventions relevant.

The Minister of Health gave the following instruction to his officials last week: Review the costs of changing the law It led to a rebuke from the Prime Minister over assisted dying, the Sunday Times reported.

Mr Streeting explained that his personal opposition to the bill stemmed from his belief that the state of NHS palliative care was good. Too poor for politics to work.

Only five hours are expected to be devoted to debate on Ms Leadbeater’s proposals because the legislation was tabled by a backbench rather than a minister.

Critics have warned that the bill could create a slippery slope and cause older people to feel pressured to end their own lives.

A spokesman for Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said he believed “more time would be appropriate” to help MPs decide.

But Sir Keir insisted it would happen. “Enough time allocated”Although some lawmakers have indicated they may vote against the proposed legislation because they haven’t heard enough detail.

Over the weekend, Ms Rayner became the most senior figure in the Cabinet to oppose the legislation.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said she was “inclined” to support the Bill but was “genuinely conscious” of the concerns of disability campaigners.