Britain votes on assisted dying after heated debate

Britain votes on assisted dying after heated debate

In London, British MPs decided on Friday whether to legalize assisted dying should be done. This controversial proposal could make the UK one of the few countries that allow terminally ill people to end their lives.

The decisive day in Parliament

The emotional debate at Westminster is expected to last several hours, followed by a vote the same day. If the bill is passed, people with a terminal illness and a life expectancy of less than six months would have the option to take a substance to end their life, provided they are able to make that decision themselves. Two doctors and a High Court judge would have to approve the decision.

International role models for assisted dying

This bill could see the UK join a small group of countries that allow assisted dying. Canada, New Zealand, Spain and most Australian states allow some form of assisted dying, as do the US states of Oregon, Washington and California.

A controversial topic in parliament

The vote is the culmination of a long and often painful debate in the country, in which prominent figures with terminal diagnoses became advocates for the cause. MPs are deeply divided over the questions, so the vote could show an extremely close result. Members of Parliament have the freedom to decide according to their conscience without fear of political consequences.

Reminder from Esther Rantzen

In an open letter to MPs, Esther Rantzen, a BBC presenter with advanced lung cancer and a well-known advocate of assisted dying, wrote: "Under our current criminal law, most terminally ill people only have the choice between suffering, going to Sweden or suicide." Rantzen has already stated that she is considering using the Swiss euthanasia facility Dignitas to end her life. She urged MPs to take part in the vote as the issue is unlikely to be raised again in Parliament for another decade. “How many more will have to suffer by then?”

Concerns and Challenges

Opponents of the law cite a variety of concerns, including religious beliefs, the robustness of the protections and the lack of time to review the law's details.

British MPs are rarely faced with the challenge of deciding on such intimate issues themselves. Many have struggled this week with how they will vote. "Parliament is tearing itself in half," Rachael Maskell, a Labor MP and prominent opponent of the trial, told CNN. "MPs are showing signs of stress at having to make this decision in such a short space of time. ... It's keeping everyone completely occupied."

The course of the vote

The debate could last several hours, and the vote expected immediately afterward represents the main obstacle the bill must overcome to become law. There will then be further consideration in the House of Lords and by a parliamentary committee.

Today's vote in the House of Commons is reminiscent of previous clearance votes on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will also take part in the vote but has not announced which side he will join as he does not intend to sway MPs in one direction.

Public support for assisted dying

Proponents of the law argue that assisted dying can provide dignity to terminally ill patients at the end of life by avoiding months of suffering and physical impairment while reducing pressure on palliative care in the country. Polls show that a clear majority of the public supports assisted dying.

In her open letter, Rantzen wrote: "The sad truth is that no matter how good palliative care is, it cannot prevent all types of suffering, be it vomiting, dying from suffocation or deep-rooted agony."

Personal stories and concerns raised

Labor MP Tristan Osborne told CNN he decided to vote for the trial because he has confidence in the protections. "I put myself in my own situation and what I would want for my loved ones," he said, describing the option as "one that I would want if I were in that situation."

But critics fear the law's protections are not strict enough and suggest patients may feel pressured to choose assisted death just to avoid becoming a burden on their family. Others have raised concerns that the bill was presented to MPs - many of whom are just starting out in their careers after the July election - without full impact and time to consider the proposal.

The state of the health system

Maskell told CNN that Britain's struggling National Health Service (NHS) is unable to offer assisted dying. "I really believe the Labor government was elected because the NHS is a mess. ... We need to fix the NHS before we go down that path," she stressed. “Continuing now ignores the urgency we have to address the underfunded palliative care system.”

Summary of the draft law

The proposed bill is largely based on the Oregon model and does not go as far as the regulations in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Canada, which allow assisted dying even in cases of suffering, not just for terminally ill people. Unlike euthanasia, in which another person intentionally ends a person's life to relieve suffering, assisted dying remains a form of choice made by the patient themselves.

It is currently a crime in England and Wales to assist someone to die, with a penalty of up to 14 years in prison. Euthanasia, on the other hand, is considered murder or manslaughter.