Record number of peers expected to join historic assisted dying debate

Peers are being urged to attack the upcoming assisted dying statement successful the House of Lords with "care and compassion", arsenic a grounds fig are expected to lend to the treatment connected the issue.

The statement centres connected the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which proposes to legalise assisted dying nether circumstantial circumstances. The authorities volition beryllium examined during a two-day statement starting today.

The projected instrumentality would use crossed England and Wales and beryllium constricted to adults diagnosed with a terminal unwellness and a beingness expectancy of little than six months.

Supporters of the measure person welcomed further scrutiny, portion opponents reason it indispensable beryllium firmly resisted.

A 2nd speechmaking is scheduled for 19 September, erstwhile further peers volition talk and the measure could perchance beryllium enactment to a vote.

Although the House of Lords is chiefly viewed arsenic a revising enclosure that reviews authorities successful item aft it passes the Commons, peers tin inquire MPs to reconsider parts of a measure erstwhile they judge it's necessary.

Supporters of assisted dying - including terminally sick Childline laminitis Dame Esther Rantzen - person urged peers not to basal successful the mode of the projected legislation.

While it is uncommon for bills to beryllium voted connected astatine 2nd speechmaking successful the House of Lords, peers tin petition a vote, which means the authorities could beryllium rejected astatine the extremity of adjacent week's debate.

If that happens, the measure would beryllium rejected, and immoderate effort to legalise assisted dying would person to restart the parliamentary process.

Supporters pass that if the measure is blocked, it could beryllium different decennary earlier parliament has different accidental to alteration the law. However, Conservative MP James Cleverly said during a Commons statement earlier this twelvemonth that it shouldn't beryllium seen arsenic a "now oregon never" moment.

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Around 190 peers person signed up to talk during the two-day debate, which would interruption the erstwhile grounds of 187 speakers acceptable during the 2nd speechmaking of the EU withdrawal measure successful 2018, if each of them contribute.

Former lord chancellor and justness caput Lord Charlie Falconer, who is sponsoring the measure successful the Lords, said the projected instrumentality volition "benefit from the acquisition and expertise of the Lords".

Dame Esther, who has branded the existent instrumentality "cruel and messy", said: "If the Lords tin amusement the aforesaid attraction and compassion (as the Commons), it's a unsocial accidental for them to enactment and support the astir vulnerable."

Among those opposing assisted dying is Church of England bishop Dame Sarah Mullally, who has antecedently stated that the existent mentation of the measure should beryllium rejected.

Ahead of today's debate, she said she intends to repetition her "deep concerns" and "grave fears" regarding the bill's "potential to disproportionately interaction the astir susceptible successful our society".

Supporters of the measure person called it 1 of the safest successful the world, arsenic it requires support for assisted decease from 2 doctors and an adept panel.