Assisted dying bill would have 'clear criteria,' says UK lawmaker
Oct 17, 2024
London [UK], October 17: A potential assisted dying law for England and Wales would have "clear criteria, safeguards and protections," the MP behind a new bill has insisted in the face of concerns about a so-called "slippery slope" to take in people who are at risk of feeling pressured to end their lives. Labour's Kim Leadbeater indicated her bill for choice at the end of life would have "very strict criteria" and be limited to those who are terminally ill. She will formally introduce her bill in the House of Commons on Wednesday, and it is expected to be debated and face a first vote on November 29. The detail of the proposed legislation is unlikely to be set out until closer to that debate, with Leadbeater saying she is speaking to doctors and lawyers as well as campaigners on all sides to "make sure we get this right." Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has warned of his concerns around introducing any form of legislation for assisted dying. He told the BBC: "I think this approach is both dangerous and sets us in a direction which is even more dangerous, and in every other place where it's been done, has led to a slippery slope." But Leadbeater has rejected this argument. She told ITV's Good Morning Britain she would not have such concerns so long as "we get this legislation right," adding: "That's why the next six weeks and the debates that will come in the following months are really important." (PA Media/dpa)
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