Majority of Brits assist legalising assisted dying as bid to alter legislation begins

A majority of Brits support changing the law on assisted dying, polling shows.

Research by Stonehaven found 57% agreed with legalising assisted dying, while 27% neither agree nor disagree and 16% disagree. Support was broadly consistent across different voter groups – 58% of Labour and Conservative voters, 63% of Lib Dems and 59% of Reform UK supporters.

Over two thirds (68%) agree that they ‘support it but only with strong protections in place. Just over a fifth (21%) agree with the statement ‘I fully oppose legalising assisted dying’.

It comes as a new bill to allow terminally ill people to end their lives was formally introduced to Parliament for the first time in a decade. Labour’s Kim Leadbeater, who is leading the charge to change the law, said vulnerable people will not be put at risk as it will only apply to the terminally ill.

The Bill’s long title states that it would “allow adults who are terminally ill, subject to safeguards and protections, to request and be provided with assistance to end their own life”.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby warned of a “slippery slope” where people could feel compelled to end their lives. He told the BBC: “I think this approach is both dangerous and sets us in a direction which is even more dangerous, and in every other place where it’s been done, has led to a slippery slope.”

But Ms Leadbeater insisted she was listening to all concerns and was working to make sure the legislation would only apply to terminally ill adults. “The health inequalities in this country, the pressure that disabled people feel and the fact that they don’t feel they’ve got the same rights as other people, let’s address those issues, and I will champion those causes all day long,” she said.

“But this is about people who are terminally ill, who just want the autonomy to have the choice to end their lives in a way that they feel more comfortable with, that respects their family and their friends and their loved ones.”

It comes as the UK’s top doctors said changing the law must not undermine provision of end-of-life care – and medics should be free to decide whether to take part in any new service. The letter was signed by England’s chief medical officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, and his counterparts for the four UK nations, alongside the national medical director for NHS England.

They said: “Whatever Parliament decides, we believe the medical profession will be unanimous on two things: that we must not undermine the provision of good end-of-life care for all, including the outstanding work done by palliative care clinicians; (and) that individual doctors and other healthcare workers should be able to exercise freedom of conscience as, for example, happens with abortion care currently.”

MPs are expected to debate the proposed legislation in late November. It was last debated in Parliament in 2015 when a similar bill was defeated by 330 votes to 118. Assisted dying is treated as a matter of conscience, so MPs will not be ordered to vote along party lines.

Ciara Dullaghan, Political Advisor at Stonehaven, said: “While there is a clear majority in support, which cuts across party lines, many Members of Parliament will be looking closer to home within their constituencies for a steer from their local voters on how they choose to vote.”

:: Stonehaven surveyed 2,220 British adults online between 7-9 Oct