A historic bill to legalise assisted dying will set out hardline safeguards that include lengthy prison sentences for coercion and powers for judges to cross-examine patients.
The Labour MP Kim Leadbeater said she believed she had put forward "the best possible legislation" but warned wavering MPs that parliament may not get another chance to vote again on the issue for a decade.
She pledged it would contain the "strictest protections and safeguards of any legislation anywhere in the world", amid growing concerns among some MPs over the potential for mission creep and coercion.
The bill is expected to run to 40 pages - believed to be one of the longest ever private members' bills - and Leadbeater will stress to colleagues in the coming days that the bill has been the subject of exhaustive consultation.
However, critics in parliament have raised the alarm about the bill's process - with limited time for debate - and many hold significant concerns about the potential for undue pressure and the risk of the scope of the bill widening under legal challenges.
The details of the bill revealed for the first time yesterday include:
● Patients must be over 18, have the mental capacity to make a choice about the end of their life and must be terminally ill and expected to die within six months.
● They must express a "clear, settled and informed" wish in two separate witnessed declarations.
● Two independent doctors must be satisfied that the person is eligible.
● The application must be approved by a high court judge who hears from at least one doctor and may question the patient or anyone else involved.
● Medicine cannot be self-administered - and doctors will be banned from assisting.
● Coercion of a patient would be a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 12, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 12, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Money hacks How to save on winter sports holidays
When it comes to skiing and snowboarding, going to Europe will always be cheaper than flying to somewhere such as the US or Canada - but costs vary massively on the continent.
Scam refund claims
Some victims of bank transfer scams will not get a penny back despite beefed-up rules designed to better protect consumers from fraudsters because several big banks have introduced an excess on refund claims.
Packaged accounts Are the perks worth the money?
For a monthly fee, banks offer everyday banking with all kinds of enticing extras. Laura Whateley examines how the 'freebies' stack up
Spain floods force firms to look south for oranges
Some British retailers and wholesalers have been forced to switch to sourcing oranges from South Africa and South America earlier than usual after last month's floods in eastern Spain left farmers struggling to harvest and ship their crops.
Northvolt boss resigns after EV battery firm files for bankruptcy
The chief executive of Northvolt has resigned after the Swedish battery startup filed for bankruptcy protection in the US.
Electric dream sours Carmakers fight strict EV rules as fines loom
When Ford announced this week that it was cutting 800 jobs in the UK, the US carmaker had stern words for the government.
Irish tycoon bids to buy out Yorkshire Post owner
National World, the owner of the Scotsman and Yorkshire Post - and underbidder in the auction for the Telegraph - has received a buyout proposal from largest shareholder.
Bitcoin rises after US SEC chair says he will step down
Cryptocurrencies rose sharply immediately after one of the industry's biggest critics, Gary Gensler, said he would stand down as the head of the US financial regulator when president-elect Donald Trump was inaugurated in January.
Feeling the strain Rising bills and Trump policies to add to pressure on households
Labour swept to power in the wake of a punishing cost of living crisis that hit households hard, with the price of food and energy rocketing, alongside the impact on mortgage rates of Liz Truss's disastrous mini-budget.
Budget blamed for end to 12 months of expansion as optimism slumps
Labour's first budget in 14 years has been given the \"thumbs down\" by private sector businesses, with Rachel Reeves's measures blamed for the end to a 12-month run of expansion and a fall in retail sales.
