Bridgwater MP Sir Ashley Fox throws support behind Assisted Dying Bill

Bridgwater MP Sir Ashley Fox has announced he will be voting in favour of the Assisted Dying Bill. The controversial bill would "allow adults who are terminally ill, subject to safeguards and protections, to request and be provided with assistance to end their own life" if passed.

The Conservative MP said: "I’m grateful to the many constituents who have shared their views with me on Assisted Dying—there are strong arguments on both sides, and I respect those who may not agree with my position. Having carefully reviewed the bill, I have decided that I will vote in favour of its second reading on the 29th November.

"This vote approves the principle, but not the detail of the bill. If approved, the bill then goes to committee to consider what, if any, amendments are required."

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The second reading will involve a debate in parliament, ending with a vote on the bill. If it passes, it will go onto the committee stage, where a small number of MPs (or committee) will do a thorough line-by-line examination of the bill and may suggest amendments.

The bill has proved divisive, with the Bishop of Bath and Wells expressing concerns that vulnerable patients may face pressure to end their lives. In an open letter, the Reverend Michael Beasley said: "How will it work for those who don't have a voice or the power to see their wishes respected? What about those individuals who will feel pushed into taking this step, unable to do so free of interference or pressure?"

He continued: "I believe that the voices of the most vulnerable should be amplified in this debate. Proponents of assisted suicide assure us that safeguarding measures put in place will prevent the vulnerable in our society being pressured to end their lives prematurely, but I am far from reassured."

The bill, the contents of which were published after the Bishop published his letter, would make it an offence to use "dishonesty, coercion or pressure" to get a patient to agree to end their life. This person would be liable for up to 14 years in prison.

A person falsifying documents in an attempt to get a patient to end their life could be sentenced to life imprisonment.

You can read the full bill in its current form online.