2nd reading of Assisted Dying Bill - 11 September 2026

Realistically, that will last about 5 minutes once it's in law. The goal posts will be moved very quickly to be a lot more 'inclusive', based on 'if that person has the option it cannot be legal to deny it to me too'.

The difference is that slipping someone suicide pills is illegal. If caught, he's looking at prison. That's a deterrent.

Whereas the scenario many are suggesting (which is not outlandish at all), is an abusive man convincing a woman to "choose" assisted dying. Not only would he not go to prison, he'd probably get lots of sympathy and support from friends and family.

Like I said, I think you'd actually see femicide rates dropping as this would be so much easier than knifing your wife.

Isn't that an argument for inproved palliative care?

Prior to the Shipman case pain relief (and subsequent life ending) was managed more emphatically so we need to go back to managing terminal illnesses well.

Kathleen Stock has interesting and informative analysis on the Bill. One factor is how would this be managed in the NHS, would you have "assisted dying" wards? Upstairs for treatment to prolong life and lower ground for assisted dying. Or special units that deal with this..dotted around the country?

Kathleen says that it will fundamentally change society's approach to longterm care. Assisted dying is presented as a "good thing to end suffering" , if that's the case then it follows that it should be widely encouraged, but who decides on a level if "suffering".

Would all Dr's agree to perform assisted dying or be forced? How many legal challenges do we think will happen? After a death (from grieving relatives) or from those that would like the right under under legislation but are currently excluded? Such as mental health conditions.

Dementia would be excluded because a Dr has to confirm death would occur within 6 months which isn't possible for dementia and the person would not be able to consent.

I get why people want it but I can't see how this Bill, that was rushed through is the answer.

I’m not saying murder I’m saying coerced suicide. I personally think it would be far easier, and as people say is happening today, to get an abused woman to kill herself than to get her to convince several medical professionals that she wants to die even though she has no terminal disease. I think an abusive man would get lots of sympathy if his ‘crazy wife’ finally killed herself tbh.

I don’t think assisted dying should be taken off the table because it potentially gives abusers another tool. They already have plenty that are much easier to implement.

Isn't that an argument for inproved palliative care?

The problem is, from what I’ve read of people who have experienced the death of their loved ones and from palliative care professionals, that the reality is different from the ideal i.e. what you call “the argument“.

Your assertion assumes that improvements in end of life care are possible in all cases. But, unfortunately, the reality of many people’s decline is that in too many, cases there is no palliative care that can take away the pain and suffering that some people have to endure as they die.

The issue with the “palliative care is insufficient” argument is the misguided belief that despite palliative care being poorly done, messy, painful, often inadequate, postcode lottery-affected and generally typically demonstrative of the usual NHS failings, somehow Assisted Dying won’t also be poorly done, messy, painful, often inadequate, postcode lottery-affected and generally typically demonstrative of the usual NHS failings.

Of course it will. It will be just as much of a shit show. Because it’s the NHS.

These abusers are doing it already. Many "suicides" of women are actually femicides. This just gets them a way to distance themselves from the deed.

I completely agree with you that we, as a society, need a grown up discussion about death and dying, about funding for old age and social care, about palliative care and yes, about assisted dying. But we haven't had that opportunity yet, and still this bill is being foisted on us. It was in no one's manifesto; there has been no referendum on it; no public consultation; it's simply being offered to us as a fait accompli. And it's a terrible bill. I'm not opposed to the principle of AS, but I am opposed to this bill which starts at the lower end of the slippery slope, disregarding what most of us assume would be safeguards put in place. And that is not democracy in action.

I think it the naysayers who don't want a referendum. Everyone knows the general public absolutely support assisted dying. If any party stood on this issue it would be a huge vote winner.

Then let them put this in a manifesto and put it to the public. That Labour hasn't had the balls to do this, but instead tried to sneak it via an ill-crafted PMB and now through this unprecedented invoking of the Parliament Act would suggest they're not certain of the public's support.

Those of us you are calling "naysayers" want genuine choices as to how we approach our deaths. It will not be a genuine choice if the only options are assisted suicide or a lottery of underfunded palliative care offerings with perhaps no beds available when we need one.

In Australia it said that one in three people with motor neuron disease take the assisted dying route, one way or another.

Makes me think of Jai Arrow (Australian rugby league player just retired with MND. I think it's been a big story in Australia). When you're in the public eye like that, it just seems another massive load to bear.

The problem with that is that there’s a sharp difference between people who have a terminal illness and people who are healthy. It tends to be healthy people who are against it most strongly.

I’ve vividly remember that Archbishop Tutu, a very much loved and respected figure, was firmly against assisted dying until he became old and frail himself. He was lucky enough to die a natural death but his opinion completely changed when his circumstances, understanding and life experiences changed.

In Australia it said that one in three people with motor neuron disease take the assisted dying route, one way or another.