LONDON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - British lawmakers will soon consider whether to give terminally ill adults a choice to end their own lives with medical assistance, marking the first parliamentary move to legalise assisted dying in almost a decade.
Proponents argue that public opinion on this emotive issue has shifted since a similar bill was voted down in 2015, asserting that mentally competent, terminally ill adults with six months or fewer left to live deserve the right to choose their end of life.
Currently, assisted dying is illegal in England and Wales, carrying a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. Individuals who accompany relatives choosing euthanasia in countries like Switzerland, where it has been legal since 1942, risk prosecution in Britain for assisting suicide.
In recent years, assisted dying or euthanasia has been legalised in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and several U.S. states.
The proposed legislation, which has yet to be published, will be presented to parliament on Oct. 16 by Labour Party lawmaker Kim Leadbeater. She secured the right to introduce a bill on a subject of her choice and confirmed her intention to advocate for legalising assisted dying.
Despite the absence of government backing, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose Labour Party won an election in July, promised earlier this year to allow lawmakers a free vote on the matter, meaning they won't be instructed on how to vote.
Cabinet Secretary Simon Case stated in a letter to ministers that they would also not receive directives on their voting choices.
If passed through the full legislative process, the law would apply to England and Wales. Scotland's devolved parliament is also considering similar legislation.
Leadbeater expressed her belief in the need to provide individuals facing unbearable ends to their lives with a choice regarding their death in an article for The Guardian.
Recent research by Savanta indicated that Britons are more than twice as likely to support assisted dying than oppose it. A poll of 2,000 people revealed that 48% supported the measure, while 21% opposed it, with 22% remaining neutral.
Sarah Wootton, head of the campaign group Dignity in Dying, described the moment as a historic opportunity for significant change for dying individuals, noting that the mood in Westminster has dramatically shifted to align with public opinion.
Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; additional reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by William James.