Assisted dying bill set for crunch vote after months of debate over controversial legislation

A arguable measure which would springiness immoderate terminally sick adults the close to extremity their lives is facing a crunch ballot successful the Commons today.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, much commonly known arsenic the assisted dying bill, volition beryllium backmost for its 3rd reading, which is the archetypal clip MPs volition ballot connected the wide portion of authorities since the yes ballot successful November.

That vote, during the bill's 2nd reading, saw MPs ballot 330 to 275 to o.k. the measure - a comparatively constrictive bulk which means each ballot volition number later.

If the caller amendments are voted through, the measure to springiness immoderate terminally sick adults the close to extremity their lives volition get person to becoming instrumentality arsenic it volition spell done to the adjacent signifier successful the House of Lords.

Speaking astatine a quality league connected Thursday, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who introduced the assisted dying measure successful October past year, said she felt assured the ballot volition beryllium successful.

She said: "There mightiness beryllium immoderate tiny question successful the middle, immoderate radical mightiness alteration their caput oregon volition alteration their caput the different way.

"But fundamentally, I bash not expect that that bulk would beryllium heavy eroded."

Ms Leadbeater said if MPs neglect to ballot the authorities through, "it could beryllium different decennary earlier this contented is brought backmost to parliament".

She added: "It works and it is safe, and it provides dignity to terminally sick people.

"This is not an either oregon erstwhile it comes to palliative attraction oregon assisted dying. It is astir prime for people."

But connected the eve of the vote, 4 Labour MPs confirmed they were switching their ballot from yes to nary arsenic they branded the measure "drastically weakened", citing the scrapping of the High Court Judge safeguard arsenic a cardinal reason.

Ms Leadbeater has insisted the replacement of High Court justice support with the multidisciplinary panels is simply a strengthening of the legislation, incorporating wider adept cognition to measure assisted dying applications.

The projected authorities would let terminally sick adults, with less than six months to live, to use for an assisted death, taxable to support by 2 doctors and a sheet featuring a societal worker, elder ineligible fig and psychiatrist.

Read more:
Why crab diligent is praying assisted dying measure passes large vote
More than 1,000 doctors impulse MPs to ballot against assisted dying bill

A caller YouGov canvass recovered 72% of Britons supported the measure arsenic it stands, including 59% of those who accidental they enactment assisted dying successful rule but reason it successful practice, and 67% were opposed to the rule of euthanasia but are consenting to backmost it successful practice.

Recently, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP), the Royal College of Pathologists and the Royal College of Physicians person raised concerns astir the bill.

The RCP said the bill, successful its existent form, did "not conscionable the needs of patients".

It has besides expressed interest implicit the shortage of qualified psychiatrists to instrumentality portion successful assisted dying panels.