Assisted Dying Bill

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According to the latest yougov poll, 73% of the general public are in favour of this bill. Why is it that I hear politicians are against it. They are elected to represent their constituents. yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/50989-three-quarters-support-assisted-dying-law

I think my point is more: we don't have the sufficient either safeguards or oversight for systems we currently have in place (DNRs, Mental Capacity Act assessments, the commissioning to ensure people have access to safe, appropriate care and avoiding the postcode lottery). Firstly, if we cannot manage these systems currently, we should think very carefully about what this means for our ability to manage in practise the Assisted Dying law. Secondly, without those things in pace, we need to think about how that impacts on the Assisted Dying law -I.e. are people choosing to die because they don't have the appropriate care package to make life worthwhile? Even worse, do they only not have that care because of their socioeconomic status and where they live in the country?

In theory, I would love for people to have the right to Assisted Dying, from a free will, dignity, choice perspective. As things are at present, I cannot see how you could free it from collusion, undue influence and protect the vulnerable. If we had a better track record at protecting the vulnerable, my confidence in it would be much higher.

The debate is starting at 930am today.

If my MP voted based on a self selected opinion poll of 2000 people then they are incompetent and should lose their seat.

MPs are not there to rubberstamp self selected polls of randoms (if they did then hanging would have been restored decades ago). They are there to dig into the issues, understand the risks and issues as well as read the thoughts of their constituents.

@C8H10N4O2 if you don't like the result of the poll, just criticise the poll. It does give us an insight into the public feeling on this subject.

No it really doesn't - do you understand how polls work? The idea that a couple of thousand people self selected actually represent the public view is nonsense.

You need far greater samples and far more controls to have any hope of meaning. As I said - opinion polls like this consistently support capital punishment. The job of MPs is to dig into the issues properly and make a decision which is why it hasn't returned.

Anyway the bill has been passed. MPs have represented their constituents.

The bill has passed.

Really worrying outcome

Pleased. It's the right thing.

Thank goodness!This is from a personal and professional level.

Very surprised but incedibly pleased to hear it go through. Lots more scrutiny needed for the details but I see this as a progessive step.

Yes, so so happy about this.

How on earth did we leave it so late when so many other countries have had it for decades.

Actually, I know exactly why. It is the Tory party. They against the "Nanny State" so it is fine for junk food to kill everyone. But when the Nanny State decides that we aren't capable of making a basic decision about our own lives, that is all fine.

They are so hypocritical.

So many countries? 6 in Europe out of 44.

What about the rest of the world?

It is. They are voting away Parliamentary oversight on ending lives by the state. One wonders how many of them truly read and understood it, and if they know what regulations by negative procedure means.

Absolutely agree. Not hopeful that the Bill committee can possibly provide answers to this

This is horrifying. A first step towards a really dark change in our society.

6 in Europe plus as far as I can see, some states in the US, plus Canada, Australia, Columbia. Ecuador. Out of 194 countries in the world.

To be fair, there may be more that I couldn’t see. But it’s certainly not ‘so many’ in comparison to the number of countries worldwide.

I haven't read any replies, OP, but this Bill fills me with dread. And this is from someone who has Alzheimers in the family and have a real fear of getting it and putting myself and my family through the distress and agony of managing my decline. I would not want to live, but cannot support this Bill.

I am not reassured that this government in particular would put any safeguarding laws in place to protect vulnerable disabled or chronically sick people from being pressured into choosing death (cheap option) rather than expensive medical support. Looking at MAID in Canada gave me an insight into the grim reality with the example of a disabled veteran who, applying for funding to modify her home and install a ramp, was offered MAID. It is worth you having a look at how it works abroad, any way.

I am not reassured that this government in particular would put any safeguarding laws in place to protect vulnerable disabled or chronically sick people from being pressured into choosing death (cheap option) rather than expensive medical support

I'm not confident it would make any real difference even if they did, @ItWasnaMeGuv
As we've seen too often "safeguarding" can be a mere platitude ripe for ignoring, and if we take the lack of consequences imposed when it fails and add the money to be saved here and some all too common attitudes to wards the elderly, sick and disabled, I'd say a Pandora's Box just got opened

People with dementia lack mental capacity and therefore do not have the option of assisted dying under the bill.

Look at the bill in the context of the status quo and all the suffering so many people experience.

The bill provides the strictest safeguards of any country in the world

The Canadian example is one rogue example.

If one person is killed on the road, should the government ban driving? If not, why not?