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uk lawmakers pass assisted dying bill

UK lawmakers pass assisted dying bill

UK lawmakers pass assisted dying bill插图

UK lawmakers voted on Friday in favour of assisted dying for terminally ill individuals in England and Wales, advancing the emotive and contentious legislation to the next stage of parliamentary scrutiny.

MPs voted 330 to 275 in support of legalised euthanasia, marking the first vote on the issue in the House of Commons in nearly a decade.

The result followed an emotionally charged debate lasting almost five hours in a packed and hushed chamber, while competing protesters voiced their opinions outside Parliament.

The Assisted Dying Bill, also known as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, aims to legalise assisted dying for adults diagnosed with a terminal illness expected to result in death within a short period.

The bill requires confirmation from two independent doctors and a High Court judge that the individual is mentally competent and making the decision voluntarily. It permits the prescription of life-ending medication, which the individual can take at a time and place of their choosing.

Additionally, the bill includes strict safeguards to prevent coercion and provides legal protection for healthcare professionals who comply with its regulations.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill now progresses to the committee stage, where lawmakers can propose amendments, a process likely to be contentious.

The legislation will face further votes in the Commons and the House of Lords. If ultimately passed, a change in the law is expected to take several years to implement.

The House of Commons last debated, and defeated, a euthanasia bill in 2015, but public support for giving terminally ill individuals the choice to end their lives has since shifted in favour, according to polls.

A change in the law would see Britain emulate several other countries in Europe and beyond that allow some form of assisted dying.

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who introduced the bill, told the debate that changing the law would provide terminally ill individuals with “choice, autonomy, and dignity at the end of their lives.”

Advocates also argue that the bill would make some deaths less painful.

However, other MPs expressed concerns that individuals might feel coerced into opting for euthanasia, and some worried the law could discriminate against people with disabilities.

Opponents also fear that the healthcare system is unprepared for such a significant change and that it could reduce investment in palliative care.

“True dignity consists in being cared for to the end,” said Conservative MP Danny Kruger, urging colleagues to reject what he called a “state suicide service.”

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Outside Parliament, dozens of opponents gathered with signs reading, “Kill the Bill, not the ill” and “Care, not killing,” urging MPs to vote against the proposal.

Nearby, supporters of the legislation held pink placards with slogans such as “My life, my death, my choice.”

Assisted suicide currently carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Shortening Death

In Scotland, which has a separate legal system and devolved powers to set its own health policies, assisted suicide is not a specific criminal offence. However, it can lead to other charges, including murder.

Leadbeater’s bill would allow assisted suicide in England and Wales for adults with incurable illnesses who have a life expectancy of fewer than six months and are able to self-administer the substance that causes their death.

A patient’s wish to die would require approval from a judge and two doctors.

The proposed measures are stricter than assisted dying laws in other European countries and the legislation currently being considered in France.

Scotland is also debating similar proposals.

Leadbeater’s initiative is a private members’ bill, meaning it is not part of the government’s official agenda. However, it follows Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pre-election pledge to allow Parliament to revisit the issue.

MPs were given a free vote, making the outcome unpredictable.

Starmer, who voted in favour of assisted dying in 2015 with “robust” safeguards, did not disclose his view in the lead-up to the vote. His ministerial team was instructed to remain neutral, although several expressed differing opinions.

Recent polls indicate that a majority of Britons support changing the law.

Faith leaders remain among the staunchest opponents. Nearly 30 signed a joint letter last weekend expressing their “deep concern” about the proposed changes.

AFP

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