Keir Starmer is facing pressure to fulfill his promise to allow a parliamentary vote on legalizing assisted dying as a bill is set to be introduced into the House of Lords. Lord Falconer, a former lord chancellor, will propose a private member’s bill to allow assisted dying for terminally ill adults after coming second in a peers’ ballot.
In March, Starmer expressed his support for changing the law and promised Esther Rantzen, a terminally ill campaigner, that he would ensure parliamentary time for a debate on the issue. While Starmer’s commitment to the bill is evident, there are concerns that the prime minister may choose to wait for a private member’s bill in the Commons.
Falconer’s bill would allow terminally ill, mentally competent adults to have the option of assisted dying alongside quality end-of-life care. The bill, however, has faced criticism for not extending the option to people with incurable conditions like multiple sclerosis.
Assisting someone to end their life is currently a criminal offense in England and Wales, but moves to legalize assisted dying are underway in Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Jersey. Public opinion polls have consistently shown a majority of people in favor of legalizing assisted dying, with a recent survey indicating 75% support for the change.
As a bill allowing assisted dying passed its third reading in the Isle of Man’s legislature this week, the push for reform in the UK continues to gain momentum. Advocates believe that the time for assisted dying has come and are urging the prime minister to follow through on his promise to allow a parliamentary vote on the issue.
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