Opposition Mounts to Renewed Push for Assisted Dying Law

Voices of opposition have emerged as legislation aimed at assisting terminally ill patients to die with dignity (assisted dying law) is being pushed again. Labour MP Lauren Edwards told the BBC she plans to reintroduce a bill with the same content as the Kim Leadbeater bill under the House of Commons' powers. The House of Commons' powers are authorities that prevent the House of Lords from blocking the same bill passed by the House of Commons.

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) has condemned the renewed push for the bill, while the campaign group 'Not Dead Yet UK' has submitted a letter calling for the promotion of legislation to improve palliative care.

A poll of 10,000 people conducted by Whitestone Insight for 'The Other Half' group indicated low public interest in revisiting assisted dying in Parliament. CEO Gordon McDonald pointed out that the bill lacks "democratic legitimacy" as Labour did not include the legalisation of assisted dying in its election manifesto.

Under current laws in England and Wales, assisting another person to commit suicide is a criminal offence under the Suicide Act 1961 and can result in a prison sentence. Actual prosecutions are very rare, with only a handful of cases reported since 2009.