In a historic vote, lawmakers advanced a bill that would grant the option of assisted dying to those in England and Wales with a terminal diagnosis and a life expectancy of six months or less.
British lawmakers voted to advance a bill that would allow some terminally ill patients the right to end their lives — an issue that has divided both the parliament and region for years.
In a 330 to 275 vote, the House of Commons on Friday approved the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill that would grant the option of assisted dying to those in England and Wales with a terminal diagnosis and a life expectancy of six months or less.
The measure will now be sent to parliamentary committees for further debate and scrutiny before it can return to the House of Commons for another vote. It will likely take months before the bill becomes law.
The government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer has not publicly supported the legislation, which was introduced by an ordinary lawmaker and so faced far less pre-parliamentary scrutiny than many critics have said was necessary for such a seismic shift in society.
Assisted suicide is currently illegal in Britain and can result in a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
