UK's children's commissioners want smacking ban as murdered ten-year-old Sara Sharif's legacy
THE UK's children's commissioners want a wholesale smacking ban as murdered ten-year-old Sara Sharif's legacy.
They say the current situation with a legal defence in some home nations is 'outdated and morally repugnant'.
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The UK's children's commissioners want a wholesale smacking ban as murdered ten-year-old Sara Sharif's legacy
Credit: PA
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Sara was murdered by her father Urfan Sharif and stepmoher Beinash Batool
Credit: AFP
Wales made all corporal punishment, including smacking and shaking, illegal in 2022.
Scotland introduced a similar ban in 2020.
But it is not totally outlawed in England and Northern
Ireland
.
The Children Act 2004 says it is unlawful to hit your child, except where it is 'reasonable punishment', and this is judged case-by-case.
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He father Urfan told police he
Children's Commissioner for
England
The commissioners of all four UK home nations made their pleas as the Children's Well-being and Schools Bill was yesterday set for its second reading in the Lords.
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Irish Independent
9 hours ago
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TV doctor Hilary Jones says he would help terminally ill to die if law changed
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If I know the patient, I know what their wishes are, I see them suffering, and there's nothing more I can do to help their suffering then, absolutely, I would hold their hand and help them achieve what they want to achieve Dr Hilary Jones In its current form the Bill, which applies only to England and Wales, would mean terminally ill adults with only six months left to live could apply for assistance to end their lives, with approval needed from two doctors and the expert panel. Last month, MPs approved a change in the Bill to ensure no medics would be obliged to take part in assisted dying. Doctors already had an opt-out but the new clause extends that to anyone, including pharmacists and social care workers. Dr Jones, in an interview with the PA news agency, said medics are 'looking over their shoulders because of the legal repercussions of the law' as it stands. 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Ahead of last month's Commons debate on the Bill, two royal medical colleges raised concerns over the proposed legislation. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said it believes there are 'concerning deficiencies', while the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) said it has 'serious concerns' and cannot support the Bill. Dr Jones, who has been practising medicine for more than 45 years and spent time working on cancer wards during his career, said he has 'always supported it (assisted dying)'. He added: 'I've always felt it is the most humane, kind and compassionate thing that relatives and doctors can provide, knowing that that person's wishes are respected and known, that there is full mental capacity and that they're surrounded by love. 'And for me, it's always been very clear.' 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This is not being imposed on anybody Dr Hilary Jones He told of his respect for people's 'religious beliefs, cultural beliefs and personal feelings' in being opposed to assisted dying but insisted it should be an area of choice. He said: 'The bottom line is that I think it's the patient's individual choice. I think we should respect the right of the individual to choose what they want. 'This is not a mandatory thing. This is not being imposed on anybody. 'And I think people should have the individual right to make a decision about how they end their life if they've got a terminal illness where there's no prospect of cure and they're suffering and they fear an undignified death.' Asked about the prospect of the Bill being voted down by MPs, Dr Jones said: 'We would be back to square one, back to the Dark Ages, in my opinion, medically, and that would be a shame. 'I don't think we would be advancing medicine if the Bill is not passed.' 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