LONDON - UK lawmakers on Friday approved a bill that would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales to choose to end their lives, bringing it one step closer to becoming...
law. The vote in favor of what is generally termed “assisted dying” — sometimes referred to as “assisted suicide” — represents what could be the most significant change in UK social policy since abortion was partially legalised in 1967. Members of Parliament voted 314 to 291 to back the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill following an impassioned debate. The majority of 23 was narrower than the 55-vote margin seen when the issue was last brought to a vote in November, indicating that some lawmakers have since changed their positions. Since November, the bill has undergone scrutiny, leading to several amendments. The legislation has been championed in Parliament by Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who introduced the bill.
“I appreciate it’s a huge moment for the country,” she told Sky News after the vote. “It was a huge sense of relief, because this is the right thing to do.” The bill will now proceed to the unelected House of Lords, which can amend or delay legislation but does not have the power to overrule the House of Commons. (Jamaica Gleaner).