LONDON: A new bill seeking to legalize assisted dying in England and Wales was introduced in the UK Parliament on Wednesday, sparking a debate that has deeply divided lawmakers, religious leaders, and advocacy groups.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, proposed by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, would allow terminally ill patients to request assistance in ending their lives, provided their wish is approved by two doctors and a judge.
The bill is set to be debated and voted on in the House of Commons on November 29, with MPs granted a free vote—allowing them to vote according to their conscience rather than party lines.
Although details of the bill have yet to be fully published, sources close to the proposal said that it would apply only to those with six to twelve months to live. The bill also includes stringent safeguards to prevent misuse, with Leadbeater emphasizing that it would offer greater choice and dignity for those at the end of their lives.
“This is about terminally ill people who deserve the right to make a choice about how they die,” Leadbeater said. “People are losing their lives in difficult circumstances, and that needs to change.”
Supporters of the bill gathered outside Parliament on Wednesday, where a similar proposal was defeated in 2015. Anil Douglas, 39, shared how his father, suffering from a terminal illness, took his own life in isolation.
“It was a very lonely, dangerous, isolated death. He couldn’t discuss his decision with any of us, and he had no safe or dignified option,” Douglas said.
Assisted suicide is currently illegal in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 14 years. In Scotland, though it is not a specific criminal offense, those who assist could face other serious charges, including murder.
A separate bill to legalize assisted dying was introduced in the Scottish Parliament earlier this year.
Despite the bill’s safeguards, opponents—including disability rights groups and religious leaders—have expressed serious concerns.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the UK’s top Catholic cleric, and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the Church of England, have urged MPs to reject the proposal. Welby, who also has a vote in the House of Lords as one of the “lords spiritual,” described the bill as a “dangerous… slippery slope” that could lead to broader applications beyond terminally ill patients.
Alistair Thompson from the anti-euthanasia group Care Not Killing warned that passing the bill could pressure vulnerable individuals to end their lives prematurely, drawing comparisons to Belgium and the Netherlands, where euthanasia laws have been extended to minors.
Public opinion appears to be leaning in favor of assisted dying, with recent polls indicating majority support for a change in the law. While the outcome of the vote remains uncertain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously expressed support for assisted dying.