"The people have spoken! Let's hope this time someone is listening'

DAME Esther Rantzen says MPs must now change the "cruel, messy, criminal law" on assisted dying as the public has spoken.

- Hanna Geissler

Four polls have shown there is overwhelming support for the right to choose.

A survey commissioned by the Daily Express found 68% backed key principles of a bill that will face a landmark vote in the House of Commons on Friday, while just 11% opposed it.

Meanwhile, a YouGov poll put support even higher at 73%, while think-tank More in Common found 65% in favour. Over-60s campaign group Silver Voices found 61% of its members supported giving terminally ill people greater choice at the end of life.

Dame Esther, who has stage four lung cancer, said: "Once again the people have spoken. Let's hope this time someone is listening.

"We 'oldies' understand that even with the best palliative care, suffering can make life unbearable, not just for terminally ill patients, but for those who have to witness their pain but cannot assist them due to our current cruel, messy criminal law."

Savanta polled 2,288 adults for the Express this month and asked to what extent they would support or oppose legalising assisted dying for terminally ill people with less than six months to live.

The survey set out the requirements contained in Labour MP Kim Leadbeater's Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, including that two doctors and a High Court judge must ensure a patient meets all the criteria and safeguards.

Some 68% of those questioned supported the proposed law change, including 40% "strongly".

Just 11% were opposed, 8% said they did not know and 13% were neutral.

People who had personally witnessed someone suffering with a terminal illness were even more likely to back the bill (71%).