East campaigner confident assisted dying will be legal in the UK within his lifetime
A debate on the matter is taking place in Parliament today
A campaigner in the East is telling us he's confident that assisted dying will become legal in the UK within his lifetime.
It's as Parliament's hosting a debate today on whether there should be a vote on this - after an online petition calling for this to happen got almost 200K signatures.
"We don't want this to be the start of a slippery slope"
Jacob is from Norfolk's Dignity in Dying group, which also operates in Suffolk:
"Currently we are seeing people travelling to Switzerland who are choosing to die through the organisation Dignitas. It does seem to only be a right or option for those who can afford to travel.
"It's something that's being introduced to a range of other countries across the world, so I'm confident it will be introduced in the UK in my lifetime.
"It's a very difficult area and we welcome as much debate as we can. We want to make sure that it's right, it's not exploited and that the safeguards are properly in place. We don't want this to be the start of a slippery slope."
What's next?
The Petitions committee say this debate will get underway at 4.30pm.
Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, a member of the Petitions Committee, is due to open the debate, while victims and safeguarding minister Laura Farris will respond on behalf of the Government.
There will not be a vote.
The issue was last voted on in the Commons in 2015, when it was defeated at second reading stage by 330 votes to 118.
But it has been less than two years since a Westminster Hall debate on assisted dying took place, with one held in July 2022.
On that occasion, some 38 MPs contributed to the three-hour debate.
Opposition
Those who oppose a change in the law have voiced concerns that legalising assisted dying could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a burden on others, and argue the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk.
Dr Gordon Macdonald, chief executive of the campaign group Care Not Killing described Monday's debate as a missed opportunity to talk about fixing the UK's palliative and social care system.
He said: "Instead of discussing this dangerous and ideological policy, we should be talking about how to fix the UK's broken and patchy palliative care system so everyone can have a dignified death."
Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to being charged with murder or other offences.
A Bill was introduced in Scotland in March - the third time members of the Scottish parliament will have considered the issue - with two previous attempts to change the law defeated.
A report by MPs at Westminster in February warned that the Government must consider what to do if the law is changed in part of the UK or on the Isle of Man or Jersey, both of which are crown dependencies and both of which are currently considering the issue.
"Increasingly likely"
The Health and Social Care Committee - which did not make any recommendation for a vote on the issue, said legalisation in at least one jurisdiction is looking "increasingly likely" and suggested the Government must be "actively involved" in discussions about how to approach differences in the law.
Sir Keir Starmer has said he is "committed" to allowing a vote on legalising assisted dying should Labour win the general election, while Downing Street has previously said it would be up to Parliament whether to debate legalising assisted dying again.