Uk parliament votes in favour of assisted dying bill at second reading

Protestors gather as British lawmakers debate the assisted dying law, in London

People in support of assisted dying hold placards as they gather outside the Parliament as British lawmakers debate the assisted dying law, in London, Britain, November 29, 2024. REUTERS/Mina Kim

Source: REUTERS

Britain's parliament voted in favour of a new bill to legalise assisted dying on Friday, opening the way for months of further debate on an issue that has divided the country and raised questions about the standard of palliative care.

After a passionate debate in the House of Commons, lower house of parliament, 330 lawmakers voted in favour of the "Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life)" bill with 275 against.

The vote will start months of further debate and the bill could be changed as it wends its way through both House of Commons and the upper house of parliament, the House of Lords. Kim Leadbeater, the Labour lawmaker who introduced the bill, has said she expects the process to take a further six months.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters