Assisted dying bill - latest: MPs split over fiercely debated legislation just hours away from historic vote
The private members bill put forward by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater will be the subject of a five-hour debate starting at 9.30am on Friday
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Your support makes all the difference.MPs have started to debate the assisted dying bill in the House of Commons, as the politician who brought forward the legislation admitted the vote would be “close”.
The private members bill from Labour MP Kim Leadbeater will be the subject of a five-hour debate starting at 9.30am on Friday.
The Independent analysed public statements from all 650 MPs, in addition to news reports and other available information, to find which MPs will likely vote for or against the assisted dying bill this week.
The bill is open to a “free vote”, meaning that the party whips will not dictate whether to support or oppose the bill.
Our analysis has found that at least 90 MPs are likely to vote in favour of the bill, while at least 83 are likely to vote against it.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has declined to say which way he will vote, adding that he does not want to pressure other MPs.
The Cabinet is split over the issue, with more members believed to be in favour than against.
Watch live: MPs begin debating on historic assisted dying bill
Watch live as MPs vote on assisted dying bill
Watch live as MPs vote whether or not to legalise assisted dying on Friday (29 November).
Critics of the bill warn of the risks
Opposition campaigners have warned of the risk of people feeling coerced into taking their lives.
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and actress and disability campaigner Liz Carr are among the well-known faces to have spoken out against the Bill.
Ms Carr said: “It’s no exaggeration to say that many disabled people are terrified of this Bill being voted in. Our recent past showed us how ill, older and disabled people’s lives are viewed as less valuable and more disposable.
“Set against this backdrop of inequality, bias and disadvantage, we do not believe any safeguards could protect us from the inevitable abuse, pressure, coercion and mistakes made under the Leadbeater Bill.”
The equality regulator has said that Parliament should be given more information and assurance that the Bill is compatible with human rights.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which said it is neutral on assisted dying, also said Parliament will need “adequate time, expertise and the supporting materials required to effectively scrutinise” the Bill.
EHRC chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner said it is “essential” that any assisted dying law “upholds everyone’s rights”.
Who would eligible for for assisted dying and how would the process work?
Only terminally ill adults who are expected to die within six months and who have been resident in England and Wales and registered with a GP for at least 12 months.
They must have the mental capacity to make a choice about the end of their life and be deemed to have expressed a clear, settled and informed wish – free from coercion or pressure – to end their life.
The terminally ill person must make two separate declarations, witnessed and signed, about their wish to die.
The process must involve two independent doctors being satisfied the person is eligible and the medics can consult a specialist in the person’s condition and get an assessment from an expert in mental capacity if deemed necessary.
A High Court judge must hear from at least one of the doctors regarding the application and can also question the dying person as well as anyone else they consider appropriate.
There must be at least seven days between the two doctors making their assessments and a further 14 days after the judge has made a ruling, for the person to have a period of reflection on their decision.
For someone whose death is expected imminently, the 14-day period could be reduced to 48 hours.
What are the views of the public on assisted dying?
Research by the Policy Institute and the Complex Life and Death Decisions group at King’s College London (KCL) in September suggested almost two-thirds of just over 2,000 adults surveyed in England and Wales want assisted dying to be legalised for terminally ill adults in the next five years.
But it showed the changeable nature of some people’s views, with some of those voicing support saying they could change their minds if they felt someone had been pressured into choosing an assisted death or had made the choice due to lack of access to care.
Overall, the polling found a fifth (20%) of people said they do not want assisted dying to be legalised in the next five years, while 63% said they do.
Campaigners from Care Not Killing said this polling showed public support for what they term “assisted suicide” had lessened in the past decade and highlighted the statistics around those who are concerned about people feeling pressure to end their lives.
More recent polling from More in Common found 65% support the principle of assisted dying while 13% oppose it and the rest are unsure.
How are MPs expected to vote on assisted dying? This is what we know
The Independent’s Data Correspondent Alicja Hagopian has analysed public statements from all 650 MPs, in addition to news reports and other available information, to find which MPs will likely vote for or against the assisted dying bill this week.
The bill is open to a “free vote”, meaning that the party whips will not dictate whether to support or oppose the bill. Individual MPs are free to vote based on their own values and opinions of their constituents, regardless of whether they are Labour, Tory, or otherwise.
Our updated analysis has found that at least 90 MPs are likely to vote in favour of the bill, while at least 83 are likely to vote against it.
Read the full report below:
How are MPs expected to vote on assisted dying? This is what we know
The Independent analysed public statements from all 650 MPs to find how many will likely vote for or against the assisted dying bill tomorrow, reports Alicja Hagopian
Is there a chance the vote could be postponed?
Bills such as this are known as private members’ bills (PMBs) and are considered during Friday sittings. The time available to consider them is from 9.30am until 2.30pm.
If the debate is still ongoing at 2.30pm then it is adjourned and the Bill falls to the bottom of the list, which means it is highly unlikely to make any further progress.
A closure motion can be moved to curtail the debate and force a vote. It may be moved at any time during proceedings.
On Friday sittings, an MP seeking to move such a motion tends to do so at around 1pm. If approved, the House then votes on whether or not to give the Bill a second reading.
If rejected, the House resumes the debate and the Bill is unlikely to progress.
On previous Friday sittings, some MPs have been accused of filibustering – making overlong speeches in a bid to deliberately waste time to try and talk out a Bill.
Assisted dying can correct injustice, says MP behind the bill
Parliament has a chance to “correct injustice and reduce human suffering” when it debates assisted dying, the MP behind the Bill said – but opposition campaigners have warned of “inevitable abuse, pressure, coercion and mistakes”.
Ms Leadbeater said she is hopeful this “major social reform” will pass this first stage in the process to becoming law.
Encouraging or assisting suicide is against the law in England and Wales, with a maximum jail sentence of 14 years.
Ms Leadbeater has said the current law is not fit for purpose and her proposals would allow terminally ill adults in the two nations with less than six months to live to end their lives, subject to the approval of two doctors and a High Court judge.
David Cameron backs assisted dying bill in shock U-turn by former prime minister
Former prime minister Lord David Cameron has backed the move to legalise assisted dying for terminally-ill adults after previously opposing the legislation.
Writing about the assisted dying bill in The Times, Lord Cameron said: “As campaigners have convincingly argued, this proposal is not about ending life, it is about shortening death.”
Previously his main concern had been that “vulnerable people could be pressured into hastening their own deaths”, but he said he believed the current proposal contained “sufficient safeguards” to prevent this.
Lord Cameron – who opposed previous moves to legalise assisted dying – added: “Will this law lead to a meaningful reduction in human suffering?
“I find it very hard to argue that the answer to this question is anything other than ‘yes’.”
He continued: “If this Bill makes it to the House of Lords, I will be voting for it.”
When do MPs vote on assisted dying? Everything you need to know
MPs will soon vote on legislation that would legalise assisted dying in England and Wales for terminally ill patients, marking a historic political event.
The bill is open to a free vote meaning members from all parties will be allowed to vote however they feel is right. There are more unknowns than knowns, with slightly more thought to be in favour of voting for the bill.
Proposed by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater in mid-October, the Private Members bill is lengthy, carrying strict stipulations about how the law is implemented.
To be eligible for assisted dying under the laws, a person has to be over 18 years old, have proven mental capacity, no more than six months left to live, and the consent of two medical professionals.
MPs will vote in Commons on Friday 29 November. A five-hour debate on the legislation is set to begin at 9.30am, with 175 MPs wishing to speak.
My colleague Albert Toth explains everything you need to know:
When do MPs vote on assisted dying? Everything you need to know
Most MPs have not revealed how they intend to vote in the free vote on assisted dying
Matt Hancock urges MPs to back assisted dying after constituent’s cancer tragedy changed his mind
Matt Hancock urges MPs to back assisted dying after constituent’s cancer tragedy
Exclusive: The former health secretary told The Independent he can remember the moment he changed his mind on assisted dying
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