What is the background to the MPs’ vote on euthanasia? | euthanasia

What is the current law?

Currently, assisted suicide is a crime in England and Wales with a maximum sentence of 14 years. There is a similar law in Northern Ireland. There is no specific crime in Scotland, but aiding and abetting someone’s death can lead to a prosecution for manslaughter.

Why is there an attempt to change the law now?

The momentum has increased in recent months. Dame Esther Rantzen, the television presenter and activist, sparked a national debate last December when she said she could travel to Switzerland for euthanasia after being told her lung cancer was incurable. Within days, the leaders of the main political parties at Westminster said they would give Parliament time to pass a bill.

Euthanasia campaigners say the UK is lagging behind many jurisdictions in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand and it is time for the UK to make this major societal change. Parliaments in Scotland, Jersey and the Isle of Man are considering laws allowing euthanasia.

Is the Westminster Parliament expected to support the bill?

There will be a free vote on the issue, meaning MPs will not be told by party leaders whether to support or oppose the bill. The last time parliamentary opinion was tested in a vote was in 2015, when a bill was overwhelmingly rejected by 330 votes to 118.

Hundreds of new MPs have entered parliament in the last nine years and many are believed to be in favor of changing the law. Keir Starmer has previously hinted at his support for euthanasia but refused to comment on how he will vote on Leadbeater’s bill.

There are both supporters and opponents in the cabinet. Both candidates for the leadership of the Conservative Party have indicated they would vote against change. Opinion is also divided in the House of Lords.

What does the public think?

A survey of 10,000 people conducted by Opinium on behalf of Dignity in Dying earlier this year found that 75% supported legalizing euthanasia and 14% opposed it.

A recent Ipsos poll found that 66% of respondents thought it should be legal for a doctor to help a terminally ill person end their life, while 16% thought it should not be legal should. Opponents of euthanasia say such surveys do not reflect people’s considered opinions when presented with more detailed information.

What are the main arguments for euthanasia?

Advocates say people who experience a death involving extreme pain and suffering have control over the end of their life and can die with dignity, surrounded by loved ones, at a time of their choosing.

Many activists say they have experienced horrific suffering and have had relatives begging to be relieved of their pain. They argue that euthanasia is about autonomy and shortening a process that is already underway. Euthanasia is seen by many advocates as a new frontier for progressive social change and self-determination.

What are the main arguments against it?

Opponents argue that legalizing euthanasia will inevitably lead to a relaxation of the criteria, pointing out that in some jurisdictions the option has been expanded to include people with mental health problems or illnesses that are not necessarily fatal – the so-called “slippery slope”.

Legalizing euthanasia could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of financial, emotional or caregiving burden, with disabled, elderly, sick or depressed people particularly at risk. Instead, world-class palliative care should be available and adequately resourced. Opponents say the state should not sanction suicide.

What is happening elsewhere?

The Isle of Man could become the first place in the British Isles to legalize euthanasia for terminally ill residents. Jersey, which also has its own parliament, is expected to pass a similar law. An assisted dying law has been proposed in the Scottish Parliament.

More than 30 jurisdictions around the world offer some form of euthanasia. These include 11 states in the USA, some states in Australia as well as Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland.

As an exception, Switzerland allows people from other countries to have euthanasia. Dignitas, the Zurich-based organization, told British MPs last year that it had helped 540 Britons die. A death supported by Dignitas costs around £10,000 and those accompanying a loved one face the risk of investigation and prosecution if they return from Switzerland.