Rebecca said her mum's campaigning legacy is already 'clad in platinum' (Image: Getty)

       Dame Esther Rantzen’s daughter has urged MPs to give her mother “peace of mind” as she prepares to watch Friday’s assisted dying debate from home. In a heart-wrenching update, Rebecca Wilcox, 45, said her mum was “on a new drug and she’s coping with that” as she continues to battle stage four lung cancer.

       The broadcaster added: “She’s going to be watching the debate and is very interested to see how it turns out, and hopeful. Mum has been indomitable her whole life, this shouldn’t have to be her campaign. She should have peace of mind, she should know that whatever happens, she has a choice at the end of her life. That is not going to happen for her. The only bright spot in that for us is that she may have enabled it to happen for other people. And I’m going to keep going for as long as it takes.”

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       Rebecca now campaigns to legalise assisted dying in Westminster (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)

       Dame Esther has been at the forefront of the fight to legalise assisted dying since revealing her own terminal diagnosis in late 2023.

       Her family recently shared that the cancer “wonder drug” she was taking had stopped working and she was too unwell to travel to Dignitas.

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       In a message circulated to MPs ahead of the debate, Dame Esther said changing the law would allow terminally ill people like her “not to shorten their lives, but shorten their deaths”.

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       She added: “Please vote for this crucial reform, as so many other countries have, not for me and for those like me who are running rapidly out of time, but for future generations to have the right if necessary, not to shorten their lives, to shorten their deaths.”

       Speaking to the Express, Rebecca admitted she was “living in a place of absolute denial” about her mum’s illness. And she described finding comfort in the idea that “something good” could come out of it through their campaigning.

       The Morning Live presenter said: “My mum has always told me that if something bad happens, if there’s something terrible, if you can make good come from it, it will heal both yourself and those around you.

       “That was why Childline came about, because of her own child abuse and witnessing that. She has set up charities with other people that have lost loved ones in the most horrific ways — to murder, to war. And she has helped them start campaigns to make that life mean something.”

       Rebecca said her mum’s legacy was “already clad in platinum” and helping to legalise assisted dying would be “just another diamond on top of it”.

       She added: “She has never stopped working for people she feels need to be listened to and voices that need to be heard.

       Rebecca delivered the Express assisted dying petition to Downing Street (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)

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       “This is a brilliant campaign. I can’t describe the bravery and strength, power and beauty of the people that I have met, who have lost loved ones or who are facing a terminal diagnosis themselves.

       “Their strength and courage — if we can bring a voice to that then we have done our job.”

       Backed by the Express Give Us Our Last Rights crusade, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill seeks to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill people with less than six months to live.

       At a landmark second reading in November, it was supported by a majority of 55 MPs, with 330 votes to 275.

       It returns to the House of Commons this week for a report stage, when MPs will further debate the legislation and suggest amendments.

       This will be followed by a third reading vote, which could take place on the same day or roll over to next month.

       Earlier this year, the bill completed a seven-week committee stage which involved almost 90 hours of scrutiny by cross-party MPs, including both supporters and opponents.

       Rebecca said she hoped MPs have “listened to and taken note of the care and detail that has gone into making this the strongest bill of its kind, with the most safeguards.

       “Kim could not have listened to a wider variety of people. And in spite of the other side, people who are worried about it coming out with lines that we know are not true…she continued to listen to, take advice from and include everybody’s voices.”

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       In a message to MPs, Rebecca added: “Please listen to common sense. Please understand that what you’re giving people is a choice and no one has to take it.

       “If their faith or their belief means that they don’t want to do it, they don’t have to. But not making a choice now, for all those people, is condemning them to a cruel and painful end when it could be so much easier and kinder.

       “As somebody watching the person I love most in the world go through this, I cannot express to you what peace of mind would give us right now.”

       Campaigners last night remained hopeful that enough MPs would continue to support the bill. Sir Keir Starmer has remained steadfastly neutral on the matter, but on Thursday signalled his continued support.

       Speaking during a visit to Albania, the Prime Minister told reporters: "This is a Private Member's Bill and the Government is not taking a position in relation to it.

       "What I would say is that from my own experience in this field, I dealt with it when I was the chief prosecutor, is that I do understand there are different views, strongly held views on both sides that have to be respected."

       Sir Keir backed similar legislation in 2015 and voted for Ms Leadbeater’s bill in November. Pressed for his current opinion, he replied: "My views have been consistent throughout.”

       The Prime Minister was also asked whether he believed there was enough time for thorough scrutiny of the bill, in light of concerns raised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

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       He told the Express the legislation was “getting a lot of scrutiny, both inside parliament and outside parliament”.

       He added: “I, for one, know how deeply people hold the views on either side of the debate, as it were, but I think it's got sufficient time in Parliament.

       “I'm satisfied about that, but the Government's going to remain neutral now.”

       MPs, please vote for this crucial reform — writes DAME ESTHER RANTZEN

       Tomorrow a crucial Parliamentary vote will take place enabling English and Welsh terminally ill patients to decide if their lives have become unbearable and if they can receive assistance not to shorten their lives, but shorten their deaths.

       There are some who oppose this crucial reform. Many of them have undeclared personal religious beliefs which mean no precautions would satisfy them. Obviously they have a right to their views, but should they have the right to impose them on patients like me, who do not share them?

       Some professionals claim the right to decide who should receive this help. But most have agreed to remain neutral and allow us patients the dignity of choice.

       Some disabled people wrongly think it could apply to them, when it only ever could if they became terminally ill.

       Above all, this is a strong, safe, carefully considered Bill, guided by Kim Leadbeater and her excellent Committee. Their courageous care deserves our sincere gratitude.

       All we terminally ill adults ask of our MP’s is to remember how much suffering our current messy cruel criminal law creates, how many lonely painful deaths, how many suicides, how many agonising memories have been created by it.

       We all hope for a good, pain-free death for ourselves and those we love and care for. Please vote for this crucial reform, as so many other countries have, not for me and for those like me who are running rapidly out of time, but for future generations to have the right if necessary, not to shorten their lives, to shorten their deaths.