The British Prime Minister is seeking to fast-track a euthanasia/assisted suicide law through Parliament before Christmas [1], according to reports.
Sir Keir Starmer reportedly made his decision after Labour MPs dominated the results of the annual Private Member’s Bill ballot, the Mail on Sunday has said.
Winners of the ballot can propose Bills for debate.
One Labour MP on the list said he had been offered two extra staff members to help him draft a Bill if he proposed legalising assisted suicide.
When the issue was last debated by the Commons in 2015, it was defeated on a free vote by 330 votes to 118. But it stands a greater chance of being passed now because of the influx of new Labour MPs.
Meanwhile a “citizen’s jury” that found in favour of assisted suicide has been criticised as “flawed” [2].
The randomly selected group of 28 members of the public deliberated for eight weeks before voting in favour of legalising assisted suicide by 20 votes to seven, with one person undecided.
But its findings have been criticised as not “impartial and balanced” by campaigners opposed to change.