Latest news with #MyDecision
Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Assisted dying law change set for major moment as MPs prepare for key votes
MPs will debate the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill - spearheaded by Labour's Kim Leadbeater - on Friday for the first time since November's yes vote A historic bid to legalise assisted dying is set to reach a milestone moment as it returns to the Commons for key votes. MPs will debate the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill - spearheaded by Labour's Kim Leadbeater - on Friday for the first time since November's yes vote. If it becomes law it would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales - with fewer than six months left to live - to apply for an assisted death. After months of intense scrutiny, MPs will vote on key amendments on Friday before a crunch vote on the controversial issue next month. Campaigners for and against assisted dying are expected to be watching the debate from the public gallery of the House of Commons. Among them will be Louise Shackleton, who took her husband Anthony, 59, who had motor neurone disease, to Diginitas in Switzerland to die in December. Louise, 58, from North Yorkshire, is now being investigated by the police. On Thursday she attended a pro-assisted dying demo in Parliament Square organised by Humanists UK and My Death, My Decision, urging MPs to back the bill. They appeared alongside black suitcases with the words "Stop Exporting Compassion" in reference to their harrowing trips with loved ones to Dignitas. READ MORE: 'My dad went to Dignitas to die and UK law robbed me of chance to say thanks to him' In a message to MPs ahead of Friday's votes, Louise told The Mirror: "I'm aware it's a free vote of their own conscience. "But the reason they've got that free vote of their conscience is because society put them where they are today. It would be abhorrent for them not to look at the community that they live in and look at the overwhelming majority of the British public - the last poll says 79% - of a choice of how they die. "I understand some MPs are voting with regards to their religious beliefs. However, I may not share their beliefs, just like they might not share my beliefs. So put those beliefs aside and let the people choose how and when and where they want to die." She added: "We as human beings need to treat humans as well as we treat animals. If I was to have kept a dog the way that I was going to be expected to keep my husband, I would have been arrested, I would be prosecuted, I would be put in prison and I would be banned from keeping an animal again. But yet my husband was expected to suffer more than any other animal." On Thursday Keir Starmer, who voted in favour of assisted dying during the first Commons vote last year, signalled he still backed a change in the law. But he stressed the government remains neutral, with MPs given a free vote on the issue. The PM said: "What I would say is that from my own experience in this field, I dealt with it when I was the chief prosecutor, is that I do understand there are different views, strongly held views on both sides that have to be respected." He added: "My views have been consistent throughout." Writing for The Mirror, Ms Leadbeater also said: "When MPs enter the chamber this morning, watching from the gallery will be terminally ill people and bereaved family members who are counting on us to make our law better, safer and kinder – not just for them but for all of us, whatever we might choose. We are closer than ever to achieving the change the British public have long been calling for." But the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said on Thursday it believes there are "concerning deficiencies" with the proposed legislation. The RCP's clinical vice president, Dr John Dean, said: "Our members and fellows who we represent have a wide range of views on assisted dying. "While the RCP neither supports or opposes a change in the law on this matter, the Bill in its current form has concerning deficiencies." He added: "Notably, the proposed mechanisms of decision making are not in line with good clinical and professional practice. Further statutory guidance is also required to ensure effective regulation of drugs, providers, and the involvement of clinicians. "Parliament must address these critical issues in the legislation or risk failing to protect vulnerable patients and uphold the integrity of clinical practice."
Telegraph
25-03-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Isle of Man set to legalise assisted dying
The Isle of Man is set to become the first place in the British Isles to legalise assisted dying. Terminally ill people on the island will be able to request assistance to end their lives after members of its parliament's upper chamber approved a final reading of an Assisted Dying Bill. The Bill will now be put forward for royal assent, at which point it will become law. Dr Alex Allinson, the member of the House of Keys who introduced the private member's Bill in 2022, said he was hopeful that it would become law later this year, and that an assisted dying service could be in place by 2027. Campaigners against the Bill have voiced concerns that legalising assisted dying could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a burden on others. They have also argued that the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk. But Dr Allinson said the Bill had been drafted through 'a very careful process', with expert evidence taken into account throughout. He added that the implementation of the law 'will involve more consultation, more guidelines, more safeguards and more parliamentary debates in terms of the underlying regulations and secondary legislation'. 'Dignity and autonomy' As it stands, the Isle of Man Bill is only for adults resident on the island for five years who have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of no more than 12 months, and who have a settled intention to end their life. Doctors are free to choose whether they want to opt in to providing the service following a previous request from the British Medical Association that this should be a choice. Dr Allinson told the PA news agency: 'It has been a long process, but it was something that, when I went into politics, I was committed to try to advance. 'I'm very grateful to be in the privileged position of being able to bring this legislation through. People have been trying on the Isle of Man for the last 20 years to provide dignity and autonomy for those who are facing an imminent death. 'This is legislation probably that will only be used by a very small number of people, but for those people it's a very important step forward in terms of autonomy and choice at the end of your life.' 'Sad day for islanders' Vicky Christian, the chairman of My Death, My Decision Isle of Man, described it as a 'historic day', but Dr Gordon Macdonald, the chief executive of Care Not Killing, called it a 'very sad day for islanders'. James Mildred, of Christian Action Research and Education, which is opposed to assisted dying, said: 'This deeply sad step turns the Isle of Man's long-standing approach to suicide on its head. Under this legislation, the equal value of every citizen living on the island will no longer be affirmed.' He added that 'the cultural change assisted suicide engenders is a negative one'. Meanwhile, a committee of MPs at Westminster is on its final day of scrutinising a Bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. Amendments to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, including expert panels to provide a final sign-off on applications after High Court judge scrutiny was dropped from the proposed legislation, are being considered. The Bill is expected to return to the House of Commons in mid-May for further debate and another vote by all MPs. Jersey's parliament is expected to debate a draft law for an assisted dying service for terminally ill people on the island later this year. With a likely 18-month implementation period if a law is approved, the earliest it could come into effect would be summer 2027.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Isle of Man first parliament in British Isles to pass assisted dying legislation
Terminally ill people on the Isle of Man will be given 'autonomy and choice' at the end of their lives, a GP and politician said as his Assisted Dying Bill took its final step towards becoming law. The island is likely to become the first part of the British Isles to legalise assisted dying, after its proposed legislation was voted through by the parliament's upper chamber. Members of what is known as its legislative council approved a final reading of the Assisted Dying Bill on Tuesday. The Bill will now be put forward for royal assent, at which point it will become law. Dr Alex Allinson, the member of the House of Keys (MHK) who introduced the private member's bill in 2022, said he is hopeful it can become law later this year and that an assisted dying service could be in place by 2027. The GP said he had 'met many patients who have wanted this option' and described it as a privilege to have been able to bring the Bill forward. He told the PA news agency: 'It has been a long process, but it was something that, when I went into politics, I was committed to try to advance. 'I'm very grateful to be in the privileged position of being able to bring this legislation through. People have been trying on the Isle of Man for the last 20 years to provide dignity and autonomy for those who are facing an imminent death. 'And I see this as a culmination of the efforts of many members of our community to provide for assisted dying for people on the Isle of Man.' As it stands, the Isle of Man Bill is only for adults resident on the island for five years who have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of no more than 12 months, and who have a settled intention to end their life. Doctors are free to choose whether they want to opt-in to providing the service, following a previous request from the British Medical Association (BMA) that this should be a choice. Campaigners opposed to a change in the law have voiced concerns that legalising assisted dying could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a burden on others, and argue that the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk. But Dr Allinson said while he understands and respects the viewpoints of those opposed to legalisation, the Bill had been drafted through 'a very careful process', with expert evidence taken into account throughout. He added that the implementation of the law 'will involve more consultation, more guidelines, more safeguards and more parliamentary debates in terms of the underlying regulations and secondary legislation'. He added: 'This is legislation probably that will only be used by a very small number of people but for those people it's a very important step forward, in terms of autonomy and choice at the end of your life.' While Vicky Christian, chairwoman of My Death, My Decision Isle of Man described it as a 'historic day', Care Not Killing chief executive Dr Gordon Macdonald branded it a 'very sad day for islanders'. James Mildred from the Christian Action Research and Education (Care) organisation, which is opposed to assisted dying, said: 'This deeply sad step turns the Isle of Man's long-standing approach to suicide on its head. 'Under this legislation, the equal value of every citizen living on the island will no longer be affirmed.' He added that the 'cultural change assisted suicide engenders is a negative one'. Meanwhile, a committee of MPs at Westminster are nearing the end of their scrutiny of a Bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. Various amendments are being considered to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, including expert panels to decide on applications after High Court judge scrutiny was dropped from the proposed legislation. The Bill is expected to return to the House of Commons, possibly towards the end of April or in May, for further debate and another vote by all MPs. Jersey's parliament is expected to debate a draft law for an assisted dying service on the island for terminally ill people later this year. With a likely 18-month implementation period if a law is approved, the earliest it could come into effect would be summer 2027. Separately, a vote is expected on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill in the coming weeks at Holyrood.
The Independent
22-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Proposed four-year wait for assisted dying service ‘too long,' say campaigners
Campaigners have criticised a move to double the length of time before an assisted dying service would be functioning if a new law is agreed in England and Wales. The proposed change has been branded a 'retrograde step' and 'outrageous' by two terminally ill supporters of legalising assisted dying. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is entering the final stages of committee scrutiny, before it is expected to return to the House of Commons for another vote by all MPs, possibly next month. As it stands, the legislation has an implementation period of two years after it is passed into law for all parts to come into force. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater - who is behind the Bill - has now put forward an amendment, expected to be debated next week, proposing to extend that to four years. Pro-change group My Death, My Decision said that is an 'unreasonable' amount of time. Mother-of-two Clare Turner, who has stage four cancer, said the proposed change is 'outrageous for terminally ill people like me'. She added: 'Every delay means more suffering, more people forced to endure unbearable pain against their will.' She said she and others 'deserve dignity, not delays'. In quotes released through the campaign group, fellow terminally ill cancer patient Tim Wardle said the proposed extension 'would be a retrograde step, contrary to the core intent and messages of the Bill – care and choice'. He said terminally ill people have 'waited far too long for this legislation' already and that 'even a slight delay beyond the two years currently proposed is not fair or reasonable'. Giving evidence to the committee earlier this year, England's chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty said he thought two years 'seems a reasonable starting point' but that he does not believe there should be a 'firm deadline', with the focus instead on providing a 'safe, fair and secure service'. Meanwhile, opponents of the Bill have claimed legislation is being rushed through and has not been exposed to proper scrutiny. A group of experts, led by disability studies scholarDr Miro Griffiths from the University of Leeds, have written to MPs urging them to vote against a Bill they said is 'beset by issues'. The group highlighted the change earlier this month, which saw MPs on the committee vote to scrap the previously hailed requirement for a High Court judge to approve all assisted dying applications. They said the Bill is 'an altogether different and less robust piece of legislation as a consequence of its being removed'. Ms Leadbeater's proposals to instead establish a voluntary assisted dying commissioner – a judge or former judge – and expert panels featuring a senior legal figure, a psychiatrist and a social worker who would decide on assisted dying applications, are expected to be voted on next week. In their letter to MPs, Dr Griffiths and other specialists in disability, law and medicine, wrote: 'In our view, Kim Leadbeater's Bill is beset by issues that would translate into serious public harm, should it be passed into law. We would urge you to reflect on the issues above and vote down the Bill at Third Reading.' Ms Leadbeater has insisted the amendments she has put forward will give her Bill 'additional patient-centred safeguards' by providing a 'range of expertise' via the three-member panel, which she said 'is a strength, not a weakness'. She said she had 'listened carefully' to expert evidence in January on concerns around the pressure on judicial resources if each case was to automatically go before the High Court, and on calls to involve psychiatrists and social workers in assessing mental capacity and detecting coercion.
The Independent
22-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Terminally ill say four-year timeframe for assisted dying service is too long
Campaigners have criticised a move to double the length of time before an assisted dying service would have to be up and running if a new law is agreed in England and Wales. The proposed change, put forward by the MP behind the Bill, has been branded a 'retrograde step' and 'outrageous' by two terminally ill supporters of legalising assisted dying. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is entering the final stages of committee scrutiny, before it is expected to return to the House of Commons for another vote by all MPs, possibly next month. As it stands, the legislation has an implementation period of two years after it is passed into law for all parts to come into force. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater has now put forward an amendment, expected to be debated next week, proposing to extend that to four years. Pro-change group My Death, My Decision said that is an 'unreasonable' amount of time. Mother-of-two Clare Turner, who has stage four cancer, said the proposed change is 'outrageous for terminally ill people like me'. She added: 'Every delay means more suffering, more people forced to endure unbearable pain against their will.' She said she and others 'deserve dignity, not delays'. In quotes released through the campaign group, fellow terminally ill cancer patient Tim Wardle said the proposed extension 'would be a retrograde step, contrary to the core intent and messages of the Bill – care and choice'. He said terminally ill people have 'waited far too long for this legislation' already and that 'even a slight delay beyond the two years currently proposed is not fair or reasonable'. Giving evidence to the committee earlier this year, England's chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty said he thought two years 'seems a reasonable starting point' but that he does not believe there should be a 'firm deadline', with the focus instead on providing a 'safe, fair and secure service'. Meanwhile, opponents of the Bill have claimed legislation is being rushed through and has not been exposed to proper scrutiny. A group of experts, led by disability studies scholarDr Miro Griffiths from the University of Leeds, have written to MPs urging them to vote against a Bill they said is 'beset by issues'. The group highlighted the change earlier this month, which saw MPs on the committee vote to scrap the previously hailed requirement for a High Court judge to approve all assisted dying applications. They said the Bill is 'an altogether different and less robust piece of legislation as a consequence of its being removed'. Ms Leadbeater's proposals to instead establish a voluntary assisted dying commissioner – a judge or former judge – and expert panels featuring a senior legal figure, a psychiatrist and a social worker who would decide on assisted dying applications, are expected to be voted on next week. In their letter to MPs, Dr Griffiths and other specialists in disability, law and medicine, wrote: 'In our view, Kim Leadbeater's Bill is beset by issues that would translate into serious public harm, should it be passed into law. We would urge you to reflect on the issues above and vote down the Bill at Third Reading.' Ms Leadbeater has insisted the amendments she has put forward will give her Bill 'additional patient-centred safeguards' by providing a 'range of expertise' via the three-member panel, which she said 'is a strength, not a weakness'. She said she had 'listened carefully' to expert evidence in January on concerns around the pressure on judicial resources if each case was to automatically go before the High Court, and on calls to involve psychiatrists and social workers in assessing mental capacity and detecting coercion.
