Terry Jermy and James Wild to vote on assisted dying bill today
Terry Jermy will vote in favour of legalising assisted dying today - with James Wild still undecided.
A bill to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales was formally introduced in the House of Commons last month - and today, MPs will have their say.
They are being given a free vote - meaning they can decide based on their own conscience, rather than in accordance with party values.
Mr Jermy, the Labour MP for South West Norfolk, previously cited personal experiences which have contributed to his decision, having watched his own father reach a stage where he did “not want to continue living” if his health deteriorated any further.
Ahead of today’s vote, Mr Jermy told the Lynn News: “I am grateful to the many hundreds of constituents who have been in touch to share their views on this important issue.
“I have spent the past few weeks reviewing these responses, meeting with constituents and I have sought advice from key leaders in the legal, medical, and academic field on this matter.
“I have decided to support the Bill.
“Fundamentally, my personal belief is that everyone has the right to choose how to end their life. I have long been conscious of the risks, however, and I am reassured that there would be legal protections and safeguards in place. Particularly safeguards around the risk of coercion.
“Regardless of the outcome on Friday, I will continue to campaign for improvements to NHS services generally and palliative care more specifically.”
The bill is expected to be restricted to mentally competent adults with six months or less to live, although this has not been confirmed.
A separate bill is expected to be tabled which would press pause on the official vote, instead calling for more time and research before MPs vote.
There have been suggestions it could be successful, pushing back a final decision.
Mr Wild said: "On Friday MPs will consider the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
“This is a very important and emotive issue and I am carefully considering its provisions.
“This issue deserves the highest degree of compassion and debates on assisted dying should never distract from the importance of high-quality palliative care.
“While I am open to exploring changes, it's very important to consider whether effective safeguards can and will protect vulnerable people and people from feeling pressured.
“This issue is one of individual conscience and I continue to listen to constituents and others reflecting on the moral, medical, and legal issues involved."
