Assisted dying bill: Why this momentous vote remains so uncertain
Why the assisted dying bill could be voted down
- Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is undergoing its third reading and final Commons vote, marking a historic parliamentary moment.
- The Bill, which previously passed its second reading with a 55-majority on principle, faces a very close vote, with predictions ranging from a narrow win to a narrow defeat.
- If passed, the Bill would permit the state to end lives for terminally ill individuals with six months to live, allowing doctors to offer it as an option.
- A significant change to the Bill removes the requirement for a judge to sign off, replacing it with an expert panel, a safeguard cited by over 100 MPs in earlier debates.
- Concerns persist about the potential for the legislation to expand over time, with critics pointing to other countries where similar laws have broadened beyond terminal illness to include mental health and other issues.