Blur star slams 'psychopathic' UK dying laws as ex-wife leaves chilling message from beyond grave

Blur's Dave Rowntree has spoken about his late terminally ill ex-wife Paola Marra's decision to end her life, amid calls for changes to the law on assisted dying in the UK

Paola Marra, the late ex-wife of Blur member Dave Rowntree, spoke about assisted dying in a message shared following her death earlier this year.

It was reported on Thursday that terminally-ill Paola had decided to end her life alone at Dignitas in Switzerland in March. She's said to have made the decision after undergoing treatment for bowel cancer. Her ex-husband Dave, 60, has now criticised 'psychopathic' current laws related to assisted dying in the UK. His remarks come just weeks before a new bill proposing changes to the law on assisted dying in England and Wales under strict controls is due to be published.

His ex-wife Paola, whom he was married to in the 1990s, expressed hope that the law would change in the UK prior to her death. As previously Paola shared a message in the film The Last Request, released after her death. She states: "When you watch this, I will be dead. I'm choosing to seek assisted dying because I refuse to let a terminal illness dictate the terms of my existence. The pain and suffering can become unbearable. It's a slow erosion of dignity, the loss of independence, the stripping away of everything that makes life worth living."

"Assisted dying is not about giving up. In fact, it's about reclaiming control. It's not about death, it's about dignity. It's about giving people the right to end their suffering on their own terms, with compassion and respect. So, as you watch this, I am dead. But you watching this could help change the laws around assisted dying."

In an accompanying open letter to party leaders at Westminster, as previously reported, Paola said that, due to the current law, she had to travel to Dignitas alone because she did not want her loved ones "to be questioned by the police or get into trouble".

Speaking to the Guardian, Dave, who is said to have supported Paola before her death, spoke for the first time about Paola's choice to end her own life at Dignitas. According to the outlet, he said the criminalisation of assisted dying made him "bloody angry" as he called for a change in the law to allow adults with months to live to be allowed help to take their own lives. He told the outlet that he used the word "psychopathic" advisedly because the current law shows "absolutely no empathy for the sufferer".

The topic of assisted dying divides opinion in the UK. Many people, including Dame Esther Rantzen, want the government to follow in the footsteps of the likes of New Zealand, Switzerland and Australia and allow terminally ill adults to end their life on their own terms. However, many others have raised concerns over assisted dying, with there fears that a new law could be abused and put some disabled and vulnerable people at risk.

If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch.

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