Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is facing pressure from Members of Parliament and anti-euthanasia campaigners to prevent controversial right-to-die advocate Philip Nitschke from entering the United Kingdom. Nitschke, known as 'Dr Death,' plans to demonstrate his new 'suicide collar' device in London on Saturday, ahead of a September 11 parliamentary vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

MPs and activists are urging Mahmood to use her authority to block Nitschke's visit, arguing that his demonstration promotes suicide and could pave the way for an assisted dying industry if the law changes. Senior Conservative MP Sir John Hayes called the planned demonstration "deeply disturbing" and stated that the country should not be "promoting suicide."

Alisdair Hungerford-Morgan, chief executive of Right To Life UK, echoed these concerns, calling Nitschke's planned demonstration "dangerous" and urging the Home Secretary to "urgently intervene."

The Kairos suicide collar, Nitschke's latest invention, is described as consisting of two balloons that apply pressure to vital arteries, leading to unconsciousness and death. Nitschke has stated that the device "works like an airbag in a car: press the button, it bangs, you pass out and die."

Nitschke has previously expressed intent to use the collar for an assisted death in Switzerland. He gained notoriety in 2024 when a 64-year-old woman used his Sarco suicide pod to end her life, a case that led to arrests on suspicion of aiding suicide in Switzerland.

Controversial right-to-die campaigner dubbed ‘Dr Death’, Dr Philip Nitschke, with his new invention, the Kairos 'suicide collar'

Nitschke also developed the Sarco suicide pod, which can be operated internally and works by reducing oxygen levels.

Dr Nitschke lies down in a 'suicide pod' known as the Sarco in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, in 2024

Legal experts have indicated that if the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passes, devices like the Kairos collar or Sarco pod could potentially be used legally for assisted deaths. The bill, initially introduced in October 2024, fell due to time constraints but has been revived and is scheduled for a vote on September 11. The current proposal would allow adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live to apply for an assisted death, requiring approval from two doctors and an expert panel.

The Home Office has stated it does not routinely comment on individual immigration cases.

A picture of the Sarco suicide pod, which can be operated internally and works by reducing oxygen levels