UK MPs Approve Legislation to Legalize Assisted Dying

In a landmark vote, UK MPs have approved the legalization of assisted dying, marking a significant step in the country’s debate over end-of-life choices.

Members of Parliament have approved a historic and contentious bill that, if passed into law, will legalize assisted dying in England and Wales for individuals with terminal illnesses who are expected to live less than six months.

On Friday, after a campaign spanning several years and more than four hours of debate, the House of Commons approved the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill with 330 votes in favor and 275 against.

If passed, the proposed legislation will allow individuals with a terminal illness and less than six months to live to end their lives by taking a prescribed substance. The individual must be considered capable of making this decision independently, and it requires approval from two doctors and a High Court judge. Additionally, the bill makes it illegal for anyone to coerce or pressure someone into choosing assisted dying, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

The bill must overcome additional challenges in Parliament and will be revisited by MPs early next year. Subsequently, it needs approval from the House of Lords. If successful, a two-year implementation period will follow before assisted dying becomes available.

In 2015, MPs overwhelmingly rejected an assisted dying bill. However, public opinion on the issue has shifted significantly since then; recent polling indicates that approximately three-quarters of Brits now support the change.

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Prime Minister Keir Starmer and former Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak both supported the bill, while Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood were among those who opposed it.

Danny Kruger, a Conservative MP and vocal opponent of the bill, described it as establishing a “state suicide service.” Critics further contended that the legislation was hastily passed and lacks adequate protections for vulnerable citizens.

Under current UK law, assisting someone in ending their life is a criminal offense in England and Wales, and performing euthanasia is classified as either murder or manslaughter.

BBC presenter Esther Rantzen, a prominent campaigner recently diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, has called on MPs to support the bill. In an open letter, she cautioned that this issue might not be revisited in Parliament for another decade.

She wrote that under current criminal law, most terminally ill individuals confronting a painful death are left with few options: enduring the suffering, seeking assistance in Switzerland, or considering suicide.

Countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Spain permit assisted dying in various forms. Additionally, some US states have also enacted similar provisions.