Lord Sumption tells Stage 4 cancer sufferer her life is ‘less valuable’ than others

Moment Lord Sumption tells a stage 4 bowel cancer sufferer that her life is ‘less valuable’ than others in shocking TV debate on the impact of lockdown

  • Jonathan Sumption made comments on BBC’s Big Questions this morning  
  • He told BBC podcaster Deborah James her life was ‘less valuable’ than others 
  • Ms James suffers from Stage 4 metastatic bowel cancer and had 17 tumours  

Former Supreme Court judge Lord Sumption today told a Stage 4 bowel cancer sufferer that her life was ‘less valuable’ than others.  

Jonathan Sumption, who sat on the Supreme Court until 2018, made the comments while appearing on the BBC‘s The Big Questions this morning to discuss the cost of lockdown. 

He told BBC podcaster Deborah James, 39, that her life was ‘less valuable’ than others because she suffers with Stage 4 metastatic bowel cancer. 

Host Nicky Campbell invited guests to discuss the cost of lockdown and whether it was ‘punishing too many for the greater good’. 

Jonathan Sumption, who sat on the Supreme Court until 2018, made the comments while appearing on the BBC’s The Big Questions this morning (pictured)

He told BBC podcaster Deborah James, 39, that her life was 'less valuable' than others because she suffers with Stage 4 metastatic bowel cancer

Pictured: Deborah James

He told BBC podcaster Deborah James (right), 39, that her life was ‘less valuable’ than others because she suffers with Stage 4 metastatic bowel cancer

Ms James, from London, known as Bowel Babe, has had 17 tumours in her lifetime and had her latest cancer operation just six weeks ago. 

She told Lord Sumption: ‘With all due respect I’m the person who you say their life is not valuable, I live with metastatic bowel cancer.’ 

Lord Sumption then interrupted Ms James and said: ‘I didn’t say your life was not valuable, I said it was less valuable.’

In response Ms James said: ‘Who are you to put a value on life? In my view, and I think in many others, life is sacred and i don’t think we should make those judgement calls.

Ms James (pictured in hospital), from London , known as Bowel Babe, has had 17 tumours in her lifetime and had her latest cancer operation just six weeks ago

Ms James (pictured in hospital), from London , known as Bowel Babe, has had 17 tumours in her lifetime and had her latest cancer operation just six weeks ago

‘All life is worth saving regardless of what life it is people are living. 

‘I’m fully aware and I’ve seen first hand and said goodbye to best friends in terms of collateral Covid is causing but at the same time I’m grateful to be somebody who is kept alive because of the NHS… 

‘Only six weeks ago I was in intensive care for a cancer operation that has got me back up on my feet and without that I wouldn’t be here.

‘And we have to protect the nhs to allow the collateral to be as minimal on all health conditions as possible.’