British lawmakers move forward with bill legalizing ASSISTED SUICIDE in the United Kingdom
12/04/2024 / By Laura Harris
British lawmakers have approved a bill that would allow terminally ill adults to end their lives under strict safeguards.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) bill, introduced by Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Kim Leadbeater on Oct. 16, would allow terminally ill individuals to end their lives within three weeks, subject to stringent safeguards. Individuals must be over 18, have a terminal diagnosis with a prognosis of six months or less and possess the mental capacity to make an informed decision to qualify for the program. They must have a “clear, settled and informed wish” to die without coercion, supported by two separate declarations from independent doctors, signed in the presence of witnesses.
Moreover, the bill includes measures that a High Court judge must review evidence from at least one doctor and may consult the individual before authorizing the self-administration of life-ending medication. The process requires a minimum waiting period of seven days after the doctors’ assessment and another 14 days after the judge’s ruling unless death is imminent.
Doctors have the discretion to discuss assisted dying with patients but are not obligated to do so. Additionally, they, along with the “coordinating doctor” responsible for overseeing the process, have the right to conscientiously object to their participation. (Related: U.K. could be the next country to legalize ASSISTED SUICIDE.)
At the time of presentation, Leadbeater insisted that the bill includes “the strictest safeguards of any legislation anywhere in the world,” with extensive assessments and, where necessary, consultations with specialists. She also argued that the proposed law criminalizes coercion or dishonesty in influencing someone to request assisted dying, with penalties of up to 14 years in prison.
Conservative MPs still hope the Terminally Ill Adults bill could be defeated in subsequent votes
The bill’s first vote in Parliament passed on Nov. 29 with 330 MPs in favor and 275 against in a “free vote” for Labour MPs, also known as a conscience vote where MPs will not be compelled to approve the bill.
The bill now moves to the committee stage for further examination, and Labour expects the bill to be revised with amendments and additional scrutiny. The government is also expected to present its assessments on the financial and operational implications of legalizing assisted suicide on the National Health Service (NHS), hospice care and the judicial system.
During the free vote, proponents of the bill echoed Leadbeater’s earlier statement. Other supporters even shared harrowing accounts of families grappling with loved ones’ painful and undignified final moments.
Additionally, Esther Rantzen, a BBC presenter terminally ill with advanced lung cancer who has become a prominent supporter of assisted dying, wrote an open letter to MPs ahead of the vote.
“Under our current criminal law, the only choice for most people who are terminally ill, if they are facing an agonizing death, is between suffering, Switzerland or suicide,” said Rantzen, who previously said she has been considering joining Dignitas, a Swiss assisted-dying clinic, to end her life. She urged MPs on all sides to vote for the issue.
Critics, however, voiced concerns about the potential exploitation of the elderly and disabled, who they fear might be coerced — directly or indirectly — into ending their lives to ease financial or emotional burdens on families.
Rachael Maskell, a Labour MP and prominent opponent, claimed that the NHS is not fit enough to offer assisted deaths.
“I really believe that Labour got elected because the NHS is such a mess. We’ve got to sort the NHS out before we go down this route,” she said. “Pressing ahead now is ignoring the imperative we’ve got to address the woefully underfunded palliative system.”
Moreover, Conservative MP Danny Kruger, another opponent, described the bill as paving the way for a “state suicide service” and warned the public against the societal implications.
“No amount of safeguards will prevent vulnerable people from feeling pressured,” Kruger said. He then hoped that the bill could still be defeated in subsequent votes.
Visit Euthanasia.news for similar stories.
Watch this clip from “Timcast IRL” where host Tim Pool and his guests discuss the assisted suicide of Dutch woman Zoraya ter Beek.
This video is from the SecureLife channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Assisted suicide in Canada has created a glut of organ donations.
Canada’s assisted suicide regime has become a conveyor belt of horror stories.
Canadian doctor brags about killing hundreds through ASSISTED SUICIDE.
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