In a great victory for campaigners, an assisted dying bill has been introduced by Dr Alex Allinson in the Isle of Man today. Members of the island’s parliament voted 22 to 2 for the Bill to be introduced. We have supported our friends “Let Me Choose”, a grassroots organisation in the Isle of Man who have been pushing for a compassionate assisted dying law. We have partnered with Let Me Choose through the assisted dying coalition.
The Bill would allow terminally ill, mentally competent adults the choice of an assisted death. A Citizen’s Jury in Jersey voted for a broader bill that would include the incurably and intolerably suffering. In December 2021, Jersey’s States Assembly voted to support assisted dying ‘in principle’.
A public consultation in the Isle of Man is expected to be held over the summer and a draft bill should be available by the end of the year. This will then be reviewed by a committee of the Tynwald (Isle of Man’s parliament).
Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision, said:
“With Jersey, Isle of Man and Scotland having now taken significant steps on the road to an assisted dying law in their jurisdictions, Parliament at Westminster is lagging woefully behind. We know that public opinion is overwhelmingly in favour of a compassionate law for England and Wales, which is why we continue to call for an inquiry. That way, politicians can hear and scrutinise the evidence brought forward from all sides of the debate.
Our current laws are broken, protracting the suffering of the terminally ill and those with painful and incurable conditions. We call upon Parliament to do the right thing and give people the choice to end their intolerable suffering when they decide.”
Notes:
For any more information or comment please contact My Death, My Decision at: campaigns@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk.
Read more about My Death, My Decision’s campaign for an inclusive change in the law: https://www.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/
My Death, My Decision is a grassroots non-profit organisation that campaigns for a balanced and compassionate approach to assisted dying in England and Wales. As a growing movement, we are at the forefront of social change: nearly 90% of the public now favours a change in the law to allow adults of sound mind, who are either terminally ill or facing incurable suffering, the option of a peaceful, painless, and dignified death.
