British Legislators Take First Step Toward Assisted Dying

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

LONDON (Worthy News) – British legislators have agreed to legalize assisted dying for some terminally ill people, despite concerns the law could be misused to pressure patients deemed ‘unfit’ to live longer.

After five hours of debate in the House of Commons, they voted by 330 to 275 to support the plan that would allow doctors to help patients in England and Wales with less than six months to live to end their lives.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer was among those voting for the bill, giving terminally ill adults “the right” to die once the request has been signed off by two doctors and a high court judge.

Opponents of the historic bill warned patients in England could be subject to coercion and raised alarm about the level of scrutiny the law received.

Experts say the change is unlikely to occur for three years as the legislation must pass several more hurdles in parliament and will not be brought before legislators again until April.

It must also go through the House of Lords. If it becomes law, there will be a two-year implementation period.

BROAD EMOTIONAL DEBATE

Assisted dying is legal in a handful of European countries, Canada, New Zealand, and in 10 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

However, the decision in Westminster followed weeks of often emotional public debate in Britain on life and death, which commentators said “transcended political affiliations.”

Churches and faith groups across Britain condemned a bill “to allow physician-assisted suicide” and tried to block its November 29 approval by parliamentarians.

“The vote will be very close — many members of Parliament, elected only recently, are having to decide on a life-or-death ethical issue they haven’t considered before,” explained Timothy Dieppe, head of public policy for the advocacy group Christian Concern.

“If they vote against this bill, it will send a powerful signal worldwide that assisted suicide isn’t inevitable and doesn’t constitute progress.”

English, Welsh, and Scottish bishops’ urged opposition to the “Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill,” tabled by Kim Leadbeater from the governing Labour Party, as it would allow life-ending medical help for terminally ill adults over age 18.

‘DUTY TO DIE’

They insist that a change in law will turn a “right to die” into people thinking they have a “duty to die.”

That sentiment was reflected in an open letter signed by the Bishop of London, the Roman Catholic Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, and the Chief Rabbi.

They wrote that they are “deeply concerned about the impact the Bill would have on the most vulnerable, opening up the possibility of life-threatening abuse and coercion.”

Yet Friday’s vote prepared for a shift that some have compared to Britain’s legalization of abortion in 1967 and the abolition of the death penalty in 1969.

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