UK Assisted Dying Bill Faces Legal, Ethical, and Procedural Challenges Ahead of Key Vote

The proposed law, which seeks to legalize assisted dying for terminally ill adults, has drawn criticism over human rights concerns, judicial roles, and inadequate parliamentary scrutiny.

• The Assisted Dying Bill would allow terminally ill, mentally competent adults to end their lives with approval from two doctors and a High Court judge, but faces opposition over its safeguards and implications for the judiciary.
• Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve and other legal experts argue the bill violates the European Convention on Human Rights and undermines the rule of law by delegating key decisions to government without parliamentary oversight.
• Critics, including religious leaders and disability rights groups, warn of potential coercion and societal pressures on vulnerable individuals, exacerbated by gaps in palliative care services in the UK.
• Supporters, led by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, emphasize the bill's strict safeguards and its goal to provide terminally ill patients with autonomy and relief from suffering, citing widespread public support for the measure.
• Concerns have been raised about the bill's introduction as a Private Members’ Bill, with MPs and campaigners calling for more thorough scrutiny and an independent review of existing end-of-life care laws.

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