MPs to debate assisted dying bill following changes – UK politics live

Good morning. Today MPs volition walk 5 hours debating the assisted dying bill, oregon the terminally sick adults (end of life) bill, to springiness it its due title. The legislation, which covers England and Wales, was passed astatine 2nd speechmaking successful November by 330 votes to 275 – a bulk of 55. That does not mean it volition decidedly go law, due to the fact that the 3rd speechmaking ballot successful the Commons volition not instrumentality spot until adjacent month. But, though a fewer MPs person changed their minds, determination is nary grounds that opponents of the measure are present adjacent to having a majority.

After the statement successful November, the measure went to a committee wherever MPs debated astir 500 amendments to it, and voted successful favour of astir 150 of them. That means the authorities connected the array contiguous is not the aforesaid arsenic the measure debated past year. The Commons room has produced a bully briefing paper with a usher to the main changes. There is simply a 179-page document present listing each the amendments that were agreed. Here is the substance of the bill arsenic amended.

Now the measure is backmost successful the Commons enclosure each MPs tin taxable amendments and dozens of them person been tabled. You tin work them each here. The Speaker has decided to radical the amendments, truthful amendments that screen the aforesaid topics get debated astatine the aforesaid time, and the grouping list, with the enactment of pb amendments (the ones astir apt to beryllium enactment to a vote) is here.

Today MPs volition beryllium debating the amendments successful radical one, covering “obligations, duties and protections for aesculapian practitioners, hospices and attraction homes, the process for receiving assistance nether the Act including safeguards and protections, eligibility and intelligence capacity”.

We are expecting immoderate votes this day but thing that would sabotage the bill. From what gets said, we get a somewhat amended denotation arsenic to however apt the measure is to walk astatine 3rd speechmaking but the important votes are coming connected different day. Today won’t determine the aboriginal of what is wide seen arsenic a landmark portion of legislation, that would alteration the instrumentality fundamentally. But it volition relation arsenic a advancement study connected however it is doing.

As the Guardian reports, Esther Rantzen has urged each MPs in an unfastened letter to backmost Kim Leadbeater’s “strong, safe, cautiously considered” backstage member’s measure up of today’s debate.

But Rantzen’s missive says immoderate opponents of the measure are motivated by “undeclared idiosyncratic spiritual beliefs which mean nary precautions would fulfill them”, and this has angered immoderate MPs who voted against it astatine 2nd reading.

The Labour MPs Jess Asato posted this remark astir the missive on societal media.

This was a peculiarly distasteful letter. Disrespectful to those with religion and without. Condescending to disabled people. And dismissive of professionals who enactment time successful time retired to supply the attraction radical who request astatine the extremity of life.

Asato’s tweet was reposted by Wes Streeting, the wellness secretary, who liked Asato is besides opposed to the bill.

We volition beryllium covering the statement successful item today, but determination is different authorities happening too. Here is the docket for the day.

9.30am: MPs commencement their statement connected the assisted dying bill. It volition tally until 2.30pm.

9.45am: Keir Starmer is owed to get astatine the European Political Community acme successful Tirana, Albania. He is giving a code successful the greeting session, and besides holding bilateral meetings with chap European leaders. After the acme wraps up, helium is owed to little the media.

Lunchtime: Kemi Badenoch speaks astatine the Welsh Conservative league successful northbound Wales.

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