HUSBAND of right to die campaigner, Diane Pretty, today slammed Suffolk Coastal MP John Gummer claiming he has been insensitive.Brian Pretty, whose wife died in May after suffering from motor neurone disease, said that Mr Gummer had insensitively supported claims that Mrs Pretty had had a peaceful and painless death, when it had been neither.

RIGHT to die campaigner Diane Pretty's husband today slammed Suffolk Coastal MP John Gummer claiming he has been insensitive.

Brian Pretty, whose wife died in May after suffering from motor neurone disease, said that Mr Gummer had insensitively supported claims that Mrs Pretty had had a peaceful and painless death, when it had been neither.

Mr Pretty, who lives in Luton, Bedfordshire, also accused Mr Gummer of not knowing the facts and not being representative of the majority. Mr Pretty said he had information leading him to believe that more than 80% of people in the UK supported euthanasia.

In a letter to The Evening Star, Mr Pretty referred to a religious group's Right to Life campaign, supported by Mr Gummer.

A cross party group of Parliamentarians, headed by the Suffolk Coastal MP, called on the Government to oppose euthanasia via withdrawing foods and fluids with the intent of ending life.

The group of MPs supported a national petition organised by the Right to Life group, which Mr Pretty claimed, was misleading.

"This misleading petition describes my wife Diane's death as peaceful and painless when it was neither.

"In the days leading up to her death Diane endured breathing difficulties, pain and distress. She wanted medical help to die with dignity but the courts said no.

"After everything Diane and I went through I do find it upsetting that John Gummer MP did not speak or write to me first to find out the facts."

Mr Pretty went to the House of Commons last month to explain why his wife felt the way she did and what she went through. He claimed that Mr Gummer did not hear him speak and so only had one side of the story.

Hundreds of people have been to Mrs Pretty's website, Justice4Diane, to support her petition to ask the Government to introduce a compassionate law.

"Nationally every opinion poll in the last ten years has shown over 80% of people think terminally ill adults like Diane have the right to choose medical help to die with dignity."

Mr Gummer declined to comment.

WEBLINKS

www.justice4diane.org.uk