British lawmakers will soon debate whether terminally ill adults should have the right to end their lives with medical assistance, following what proponents claim is a shift in public opinion since a similar proposal was rejected a decade ago.
Kim Leadbeater, a Labour Party lawmaker, announced on Thursday, October 3, 2024, that she would introduce the assisted dying bill on October 16, following her success in a ballot allowing her to propose legislation.
The proposed law would permit mentally competent, terminally ill adults in England and Wales, who have less than six months to live, to choose to end their lives with medical help. Currently, assisting suicide is a criminal offence in the UK, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised a free vote on the issue, allowing lawmakers to vote according to their consciences. While support for the bill has grown, some lawmakers remain sceptical. Concerns have been raised about the potential for coercion, especially regarding vulnerable individuals who may feel pressure from their families to choose euthanasia.
Proponents like Sarah Wootton, head of the campaign group Dignity in Dying, see this as a historic opportunity for change. She stated, “The mood in Westminster has shifted dramatically, at last catching up with public opinion.” According to a recent poll by Savanta, 48% of Britons support assisted dying, with 21% opposing it, and the rest undecided.
If passed, the UK would join countries like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, as well as some U.S. states, in legalising assisted dying under certain conditions.
