UK takes step towards allowing assisted dying

Hello. Today lawmakers in the UK House of Commons have backed a bill that would legalise assisted dying - a practice allowed in a just a handful of countries. Fergus Walsh tells us more about the state of the legislation around the world. We're also reporting from Georgia, Canada and Wales. On a more personal note, this the last News Briefing you'll be getting from me - although I'm leaving you in very good hands with Sofia and the rest of the team. Thanks as ever for your kind readership.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

UK parliament backs proposals to legalise assisted dying

The bill will now face many more months of debate and scrutiny by MPs and peers

British lawmakers in the House of Commons have backed proposals to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales, paving the way for an historic change in the law. While it remains illegal in most countries, more than 300 million people now live in places which have legalised the practice.

What countries already have assisted dying laws?

Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Austria have all introduced assisted dying laws since 2015 – when UK MPs last voted on the issue. Some US states also authorise the practice, which some critics prefer to call assisted suicide. The bill passed in England and Wales comes with safeguards supporters say will make it the strictest set of rules in the world, with patients needing the approval of a High Court judge.

Why are policies outside of the UK considered less restrictive?

Canada is the country often cited by opponents of assisted dying as an example of the so-called "slippery slope" - a place where assisted dying has been extended and made available to more people since it was first brought in. First, it was available only to the terminally ill. It was amended in 2021 to be extended to those experiencing "unbearable suffering" from an irreversible illness or disability. Four in 100 deaths in Canada are now medically assisted.

What about Europe?

Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain and Austria have legalised some form of assisted dying. In all of them - unlike the proposals in England and Wales - help to die is not restricted to the terminally ill. Switzerland was first, making assisted suicide legal in 1942. The Netherlands and Belgium have both legalised assisted dying for patients experiencing unbearable suffering from an incurable illness, including mental health issues. It has since been extended to children - the only European countries to allow this.

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The Museum of Architecture may sound like an unlikely venue for a gingerbread biscuit display - but not when you consider the baked goods' suitability for complex constructions. More than 25 gingerbread structures feature in an exhibition showing examples of landmarks that have been - or could be - turned into something new and exciting. Take a look.