The United Kingdom (UK) House of Commons voted this Friday (29 November 2024) to support the Terminally Ill Adults Bill, which allows a patient to opt for assisted suicide. The proposal by Kim Leadbeater (Labor Party, center-left) received 330 votes in favor and 275 against. The legislation covers England and Wales.
With the help of assisted suicide, a patient who is near death can end their life painlessly. The doctor must prescribe the lethal injection for the patient to administer to himself or herself. This is not the same as euthanasia, where the patient receives the dose from a medical professional.
UK lawmakers debated the proposal in a debate that lasted nearly five hours. Introducing the bill, Kim Leadbeater (Labor Party) said that colleagues in Parliament must reflect the “heartbreaking reality and human suffering that many people are experiencing as a result of the status quo.”
As this is symbolic support and not approval, the proposal will still be analyzed by parliamentary committees to debate changes and amendments to the legislation.
Procedure for approving bills
In the UK Parliament, a bill must go through a number of stages to be approved. Before there is a debate or vote, the MP must formally present the proposal in a first reading.
The 2nd reading, such as the one held this Friday (Nov 29), is the period of debate in which members of the House of Commons decide to proceed with the proposal. The bill is only approved in Parliament after a 3rd reading.. It then goes to the House of Lords for analysis.
Kim Leadbeater said that if passed, the new legislation would provide a dignified choice for people with terminal illnesses.
Assisted suicide is already legal in several European nations, including the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland.
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