UK MPs approve assed dying bill in landmark vote, send proposal to House of Lords | World News

Members of the UK Parliament have voted to support a bill that would legalise assed dying in England and Wales. The bill passed a narrow majority of 23, with 314 MPs in favour and 291 against, now moves to the House of Lords for further debate and possible changes.
The proposal, called the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, allows terminally ill people to request medical help to end their life if certain conditions are met.
Dignity in Dying campaigners gather in support of the assed dying Bill in London, Friday. (AP)
What the bill says
The bill would allow assed dying under strict conditions. A person would be eligible if they:
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Are aged 18 or older and live in England or Wales
Have been regered with a General Practitioner for at least 12 months
Have a terminal illness and are expected to die within six months
Have the mental capacity to make the decision
Make two formal declarations of their wish to die, witnessed and signed
Are assessed two independent doctors at least seven days apart

If the request is approved, there would be a 14-day waiting period before the person could go ahead. A doctor would prepare the substance, but the person would need to take it themselves.
It would be a criminal offence to pressure or force someone into requesting assed dying, with a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.
Public and political reaction
The bill has divided opinion both within Parliament and across the country. Prime Miner Keir Starmer voted in favour of the bill, but Health Secretary Wes Streeting opposed it, although he said he would respect the outcome.
Outside Parliament, demonstrators gathered in large numbers. Supporters wore clothes reading “Campaign for Dignity in Dying,” while opponents carried banners warning against what they called the creation of a “National Suicide Service”.Story continues below this ad
The UK would join several other countries if the bill becomes law. (AP)
Advocates argue the bill would stop people from having to travel abroad for an assed death, which is currently legal in Switzerland. They say wealthier patients have that option, while others risk legal consequences for helping a loved one.
Global context
The UK would join several other countries if the bill becomes law. Assed suicide is currently legal in jurisdictions such as Canada, Belgium, Australia, and some US states. Euthanasia, which involves a doctor directly ending a patient’s life, is legal under strict conditions in the Netherlands and Canada.
Though the House of Commons has now passed the bill, the House of Lords will examine the text in the coming months. Any amendments made the Lords must then return to the Commons for approval.
(With inputs from BBC and AP)