British lawmakers approved an assisted-dying bill for England and Wales on Friday, advancing the legislation to the next stage of parliamentary review.
According to AFP, in the first House of Commons vote on the topic in nearly a decade, MPs supported legalised euthanasia with a vote of 330 to 275.
The vote marks lawmakers’ initial approval of the bill, advancing it for further parliamentary review. A similar bill failed to clear this stage in 2015.
The vote followed a tense, emotional debate covering ethics, grief, law, faith, crime, and cost, drawing hundreds of supporters and opponents outside Parliament.
Proponents argued the law would grant dignity to the dying and prevent suffering while ensuring safeguards against coercion. Opponents raised concerns about vulnerable individuals being pressured to end their lives to avoid being a burden.
Supporters shared poignant stories of loved ones who endured severe pain in their final months or resorted to secret suicides, noting that assisting someone to die is currently a crime.
“Let’s be clear, we’re not talking about a choice between life or death, we are talking about giving dying people a choice about how to die,” The Associated Press quoted the bill’s main sponsor Kim Leadbeater as saying in the opening speech in a packed chamber.
She conceded that it’s not an easy decision for lawmakers but that “if any of us wanted an easy life, they’re in the wrong place.”
Opponents expressed concerns that vulnerable, elderly, and disabled individuals might be pressured into choosing assisted dying to reduce costs or lessen the burden on their families. Some advocates called for enhanced palliative care as a better way to alleviate suffering.
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