British MPs want to make assisted dying legal
Date
12/2/2024 6:31:02 AM
(MENAFN) UK MPs have voted in favor of a controversial bill that would legalize assisted dying in England and Wales for those with terminal illnesses and six months or less to live. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passed the House of Commons with 330 votes in favor and 275 against, following over four hours of debate and years of campaigning by activists. The bill would allow terminally ill patients to end their lives with the assistance of a substance, provided they can make the decision themselves, and with the approval of two doctors and a High Court judge. It also includes a provision to punish anyone who pressures someone into requesting assisted dying, with a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.
The bill will face further scrutiny in Parliament and will need to pass through the House of Lords before it can be implemented after a two-year period. Public opinion has shifted since a similar bill was rejected in 2015, with recent polls showing around three-quarters of Britons supporting the change. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and former PM Rishi Sunak backed the bill, while some critics, including Conservative MP Danny Kruger, warned that it could lead to a "state suicide service" and lacked proper safeguards for vulnerable individuals. Currently, assisting in a suicide is a crime in England and Wales, and euthanasia is considered murder or manslaughter.
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