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Saturday, 15 February, 2025
HomeNews UpdateUK MPs support Bill to legalise assisted dying

UK MPs support Bill to legalise assisted dying

Proposals to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales have been backed by British MPs in a landmark vote that paves the way for a change in the law, and allows terminally ill adults (expected to die within six months) to seek help to commit suicide.

The vote was won by a margin of 55 by those in favour: 330 to 275.

BBC reports that the Bill will now face many more months of debate and scrutiny by MPs and peers, who could choose to amend it, with the approval of both Houses of Parliament required before it becomes law.

Campaign group Dignity in Dying said the vote was a “historic step towards greater choice and protection for dying people”.

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who put forward the Bill, said she was “a bit overwhelmed” after the vote, while Conservative Danny Kruger, a leading opponent of the Bill, said it could be defeated at a later stage if MPs' concerns were not properly addressed.

He said many of his colleagues believed the Bill was “very dangerous” and he hoped that if safeguards in the legislation were not strengthened they would choose to vote against it in the future.

MPs were given a free vote, meaning they could make a decision based on their own conscience rather than having to follow a party line.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Conservative predecessor Rishi Sunak voted in favour, while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch voted against.

The PM, who previously supported a change in the law in 2015, did not speak in the debate or reveal how he planned to vote in advance, saying he did not want to influence the decisions of MPs.

The government has taken a neutral stance on the Bill, saying it will work to ensure it is effective if Parliament backs a change in the law.

The vote followed more than four hours of passionate debate in a packed Commons chamber.

Opponents had raised concerns that terminally ill people, particularly the elderly, disabled or vulnerable, could be pressurised into ending their own lives.

They also argued the focus should be on improving end-of-life care rather than introducing assisted dying.

To be eligible for assisted dying under Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, someone must have the mental capacity to make a choice about ending their life and express a “clear, settled and informed” wish, free from coercion or pressure, at every stage of the process.

Two independent doctors and a High Court judge must be satisfied someone is eligible and has made their decision voluntarily.

However, Labour’s Diane Abbott was among those who argued these safeguards were not sufficient, fearing the role of the judge could be only “a rubber stamp”.

She said terminally ill people might also feel pressured to end their lives as they don’t “want to be a burden” or because of the cost of their care.

A separate Bill to legalise assisted dying in Scotland has been proposed by a Liberal Democrat member of the Scottish Parliament and is expected to be voted on by MSPs next year.

 

BBC article – MPs back proposals to legalise assisted dying (Open access)

 

See more from MedicalBrief archives:

 

British MPs to vote on assisted dying

 

The right to assisted suicide long overdue

 

New ‘right to end life’ debate rages in Britain

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