Historic Change: Will the UK Parliament Back the Assisted Dying Bill?

Assisted dying remains a red line in Britain, as MPs who support the idea have been unable to pass it in legislation in the House of Commons due to strong opposition from religious leaders.

Recently, The Guardian reported that the new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing pressure to fulfil his promise to allow a vote in Parliament on the Assisted Dying Bill, especially after the bill was introduced to the House of Lords two months ago.

According to a poll published last March, 75% of people living in the UK support assisted dying. 

Assisted dying is banned in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years

If the law is finalized, the UK will join European countries including Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as several US states, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in giving terminally ill people the choice to die.

Assisted Dying

The UK Parliament is expected to soon witness a controversial vote on a bill that would allow assisted dying with medical assistance, after reports that PM Keir Starmer supports speeding up the process of introducing this legislation in the House of Commons, so that it can be voted on before Christmas.

According to reports, Starmer is working behind the scenes to push the bill forward in a shorter timeframe than expected, making it one of the biggest social changes parliament has debated since the Abortion Act was passed in 1967.

If passed in the coming months, it would allow terminally ill adults with no more than six months to choose to end their lives with medical assistance.

Although Starmer has not set a deadline for the vote, the success of a private members’ bill, which enables non-government MPs to introduce legislation, has accelerated the process of introducing the bill.

Jake Richards, the Labour MP who came 11th in the ballot, introduced the bill.

Other MPs who were in the lead in the ballot were also encouraged to support the bill, including Kim Leadbeater, the MP for Spen Valley, who topped the ballot, and Clive Lewis, the MP for Norwich South, who came fourth.

The proposed bill would be similar to assisted dying legislation previously introduced by former Labour justice minister Charles Falconer in the House of Lords.

The legislation states that only people with sufficient mental capacity can make this decision, and that two doctors and the Supreme Court must agree.

Free Vote

The last debate on assisted dying in the House of Commons was in 2015, when it was defeated by a free vote of 330 to 118.

However, expectations of the bill passing this time are higher, thanks to the entry of a large number of new Labour MPs who are likely to support it, along with the support of the Prime Minister.

However, MPs are expected to be allowed to vote on their own personal views, without committing to an official party position.

Starmer, who supported assisted dying in a parliamentary vote in 2015, was influenced by his experience as director of public prosecutions, particularly the case of Daniel James, a young rugby player who sought help in dying in Switzerland after becoming a quadriplegic.

A 2023 Ipsos poll found that two-thirds of Britons were in favour of allowing terminally ill adults to choose to die with medical assistance.

Public sentiment shifted further when Esther Rantzen, an 83-year-old TV personality, revealed that she had been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer and had contacted the Swiss assisted-dying organisation Dignitas.

In March, Starmer said he supported changing the law, and promised Esther Rantzen that if he became PM he would ensure parliament would dedicate time to discussing the issue and allow a free vote. He repeated that pledge after winning the general election.

On 5 April, a Financial Times editorial argued that in the largely secular UK, it was time for politicians to align with public opinion and allow terminally ill people to die.

Ethical Debate

The bill has sparked a fierce ethical debate over the sanctity of human life and concerns that the legislation could be misused.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has described the bill as a licence to kill the elderly, expressing concern that it could be exploited.

She has already said she will oppose a change in the law on assisted dying.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has also expressed his reservations, adding that he was uncomfortable with the legislation on assisted dying under the current conditions of the healthcare system.

He pointed out that end-of-life care in Britain is not at a level that allows patients to make a free decision without being affected by the lack of support available.

In contrast, the Dignity in Dying organisation, which campaigns for assisted dying, said: “The Britons are demanding a law that allows assisted dying… This is a reality that cannot be ignored.”

“The new generation of MPs understands this popular trend, and it's time for change,” it added.

Sanctity of Life

The debate over assisted dying is gaining momentum in Britain, with the British Crown dependencies of Jersey and the Isle of Man taking major steps towards legalizing the right to die.

In Jersey, the Assembly of States began discussions on May 21 on the possibility of legalizing assisted dying.

If passed, the law would allow terminally ill or incurable adults who have been residents in Jersey for at least a year to choose assisted dying.

If approved, the legislation is expected to come into force by 2027.

Similarly, the Isle of Man has been engaged in parliamentary debate since late 2023, with the right to die likely to become law as early as 2025.

The legislation would be limited to adults with terminal illnesses who have expressed a clear and firm desire to end their lives, according to two independent doctors.

Scotland is also considering similar legislation, with a bill proposed by a Liberal Democrat MP deemed acceptable in April and now under review by the parliamentary health committee.

The Scottish bill, like the Jersey and Isle of Man bills, restricts the right to die to terminally ill adults who are fully informed about palliative care alternatives and who have been living in Scotland for at least a year.

While Scottish MPs will have a free vote on the bill, former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and Labour leader Anas Sarwar have both expressed their intention to oppose it.

First Minister John Swinney said in June he was struggling over whether to support it, while former First Minister Humza Yusuf, who resigned in early May, has indicated he is likely to vote against the bill.

Despite two previous attempts to legalise assisted dying at Holyrood, Liam McArthur, the Liberal Democrat MSP behind the legislation, has expressed confidence it would pass this time, which could lead to Scotland becoming the first nation in the UK to permit assistance to those with terminal illnesses who wish to end their lives.

The bill faces opposition from the Church of Scotland, the Scottish Catholic Church and the Scottish Mosques Association. 

They argue that assisted dying could lead to prosecutions for murder under current laws, which prohibit medically assisted dying.

The most important factors that influenced supporters’ decision to support the bill were reducing suffering, increasing personal dignity, and granting autonomy to dying people.

Opponents most commonly cited concerns about the sanctity of life and the risk that vulnerable people would be coerced or that their lives would be devalued.

There were also concerns that eligibility criteria would expand over time and safeguards would be reduced.