The proposal thus moves on to a new round of hearings. A final vote will not come until next year.
Supporters of the bill believe the only right thing to do is to allow terminally ill adults who have less than six months to live and who wish to end their lives, to be given medical assistance to do so.
The proposal to change the law has been put forward by Labor representative Kim Leadbeater, and she opened Friday’s debate in the House of Commons.
– We are not talking about a choice between life and death. We’re talking about letting dying people choose how they want to die,” Leadbeater said.
“State suicide service”
One of the most prominent opponents of the bill is Danny Kruger from the Conservative Party. He said terminally ill people must get something better than “a state suicide service”.
The practice is already allowed in Australia, Canada and several states in the USA. Opponents in the UK believe that legalizing active euthanasia will put further pressure on vulnerable terminally ill people who do not want to be a burden on the family.
The representatives in the House of Commons were freed to vote according to their own conscience, regardless of party line, and the outcome was therefore open. Many had signaled in advance that they were unsure.
Support in the population
A similar bill was also tabled ten years ago, but was then voted down. But attitudes to the question in the population have changed since then.
Among other things, Leadbeater has referred to opinion polls which show that a majority of Britons support the legalization of active euthanasia. She also points out that the bill involves strict control of when and how such help can be given.
Disagree
Many elected representatives disagree and believe, among other things, that more research is needed to determine what economic and legal consequences a change in the law could have.
Critics also point to the fact that in Canada the conditions for active euthanasia have been relaxed following the change in the law there.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously indicated support for active euthanasia, but would not say in advance how he intended to vote on Friday.
Labour, which has a solid majority in the House of Commons, is divided on the issue.
Read also: Here, training for war in Oslo: – We take the soldiers into the unknown (+)
Read also: Shocked by the government: – They are absent (+)
Read also: Expert on the new Trump effect in NATO: – That is my great fear (+)