The UK House of Commons has narrowly voted in support of a bill to legalise assisted dying, paving the way for one of Britain’s biggest social changes in a generation.
MPs supported the proposed laws by 314 to 291.
They would give mentally competent, terminally ill adults in England and Wales with six months or less left to live, the right to choose to end their lives with medical help.
Supporters say it will provide dignity and compassion to people suffering, but opponents worry that vulnerable people could be coerced into ending their lives.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The bill now proceeds to the House of Lords where news agency Reuters reports the unelected Lords will be reluctant to block legislation that has been passed by elected members of the House of Commons.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government was neutral on the legislation allowing politicians to vote according to their conscience.
The PM has previously said he was in favour of allowing assisted dying.
Opinion polls show that a majority of Britons back assisted dying.
Last week’s vote took place 10 years after parliament last voted against it.
CHRISTIANS AND PRO-LIFERS VOW “THEY MUST NOT GIVE UP”
Christian campaigners and pro-life MPs who oppose the bill insisted they “must not give up”.
Labour MP Rachael Maskell who voted against the bill told Premier Christian News there was a lack of thorough scrutiny as the legislation progressed through the Commons.
“Not everyone had a chance to speak,” she explained.
“Amendments were rejected despite being evidence-based and supported by professional bodies.”
“There should have been a proper Royal Commission to really tease out what the issues are, what the problems are, why people are having poor deaths in our country, before this process began.”
“THE MOMENTUM IS AGAINST THE BILL”
Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron, a long-standing opponent of the bill, told Premier the outcome was “crushing for somebody who thinks assisted dying is a massive threat to the most vulnerable and marginalised people in our society.”
“The 23-vote majority was less than half the size of the second reading which makes you think that the momentum is against the bill.”
“So, the House of Lords ought to feel emboldened and legitimised in opposing and scrutinising the bill.”
“I suspect it’s fair to say that it may not be all over,” he added.
“REAL SENSE OF LAMENT, BUT ALSO FERVOUR”
Alicia Edmund, Head of Public Policy at the Evangelical Alliance, was outside Parliament as the result was announced
“There was real sense of lament, but one of real fervour in the sense that there’s more to fight on in the House of Lords,” she told Premier.
She noted that many Christian campaigners had taken action, driven by their faith convictions.
“So many Christians wrote to their local MPs, and they met them.”
“They were engaged and using their platform and their voice to speak up for the vulnerable,” Ms. Edmund reflected.
“Your work was not in vain – particularly for those from the disabled community, those at the end of life of care, or from ethnic minority communities where they’re not getting the [proper] health support.”
“CHRISTIANS WILL FEEL GRIEVED”
Ciaràn Kelly, Director of the Christian Institute, said: “Christians will feel grieved that MPs have shown so little regard for the dignity of human life, so little compassion for the concerns of vulnerable groups, and so little respect for the testimony of medical experts.”
“But we must not give up. We must continue to pray.”
“And we must now look to the House of Lords, where we can expect better scrutiny of this dangerous and unworkable bill.”
“HOSPICES AND CARE HOMES COULD BE FORCED TO CLOSE”
Dozens of hospices and care homes could be forced to close if the bill becomes law warned the leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols believes the legislation would require institutions to facilitate assisted suicide, which conflicts with Catholic values and teachings.
He made his remarks in a joint statement with Archbishop John Sherrington of Liverpool, the Catholic Church’s lead bishop for life issues.
“We call attention to the fact that the future of many care homes and hospices will be put in grave doubt if the bill becomes law,” they wrote.
“Our Parliament has now rejected amendments that would have allowed such institutions not to be involved in assisted suicide.”
EVEN IF PASSED, ASSISTED DYING WILL NOT TAKE EFFECT UNTIL AT LEAST 2029
“We fear that this bill will seriously affect the provision of social care and palliative care across the country.”
“Institutions whose mission has always been to provide compassionate care in sickness or old age, and to provide such care until the end of life, may have no choice but to withdraw from the provision of such care.”
For the bill to become law, both the Commons and the Lords need to agree on its final wording.
Even then, because of a planned four-year implementation period, assisted dying wouldn’t be available until 2029 at the earliest, if it is passed into law.
