Assisted Dying Bill: New Push in Commons

0:00On April 1st, supporters of the assisted dying bill are gearing up to revive it this summer after it hits a wall in the House of Lords. The terminally ill adults end of life. Bill lets terminally ill adults over 18 in England and Wales with six months or less to live, request, help from doctors to end their lives. It passed the comments but now looks set to die when Parliament wraps before the King's speech on May 13th. Their banking on the next private members bill, ballot on May 21st, where backers say 200 MPs could back a top finisher to, reintroduce Kim Lee-Beater's exact bill. With 400 to 500 backbentures entering, odds are high for a supporter to snag one of the top five spots. Since MPs already approved it once, they figure it'll sail through the comments fast, maybe in just hours during committee. Reactions are split sharp. More than 100 MPs from Labour and others wrote to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, begging him to protect it from the Lords and give it commons, time.

1:01Backers like Lord Charlie Falconer and Dr Simon Ofer call it the safest bill worldwide and say even some past no voters now see the Lords block as, undemocratic, opponents including MP Adam Jogi slam it as flawed, citing polls where 77% won full scrutiny first. If it passes commons again, but Lord Stahl, supporters eye the Parliament act to force it into law without peers okay same trick used for the Fox. Hunting ban and gay consent age equality this century, they've lost chances to amend because of delays they argue. Ministers won't touch it as government bizz to avoid party rifts, but a fallback is pushing it as a presentation bill with extra time. Except for minciders put success odds over 50%, some say 90. This push tests commons power over the Lords and if it lands assisted dying could hit the books by next session's end, shifting end of life choices, big time.