Health minister Stephen Kinnock says he will back assisted dying bill

Stephen Kinnock said countries that allowed assisted dying often saw improvements in palliative care. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

The health minister Stephen Kinnock has said he will vote in favour of the assisted dying bill next week, arguing that it is the “compassionate” thing to do and will not automatically place NHS palliative care services under extreme pressure.

Kinnock, the minister responsible for palliative care, said he did not believe there was a conflict between backing a change in the law and supporting hospices, as had been suggested by his boss Wes Streeting, the health secretary.