AG百家乐在线官网

Breaking

Politics latest: Bill legalising assisted dying passed in the Commons by slim majority

MPs have voted in favour of The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill - also known as the assisted dying bill - in the Commons today. Watch the latest below.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Watch Sky News live
Why you can trust Sky News
Bill gives people a choice - 'you don't have to do it', says Leadbeater

A bit more now from Kim Leadbeater, who we spoke to moments ago.

Speaking to our correspondent Liz Bates, the MP who drove this bill forward stressed this gives people a choice.

"You do not have to do it," she said,

"And that's the thing I would keep reiterating to people - we've got an extremely well safeguarded piece of legislation here.

"Only people that want to make this choice would get through that entire robust process."

It means "so much to people", she added, and she said "they're the people who've got me through it".

"I'm not going to pretend it's been easy," she said.

The process has been "extremely thorough", she said, and was "always driven... by human emotions and the need to change the law".

People with less than a year to live were there today, she added, because "they know how much it means to give dying people free choice, dignity and autonomy".

Suspended MP voted by proxy

By Tamara Cohen, political correspondent

Dan Norris, the MP suspended from Labour after arrest on suspicion of rape and child sex offences has an "aye" vote on the bill recorded by proxy.

Sky News has approached the Labour Party for comment.

Watch: 'Most moving debate in 15 years' as Sophy Ridge reflects on 'momentous decision'

After 15 years reporting from parliament, our lead politics presenter Sophy Ridge said she's not sure she's seen a more moving debate.

A lot of it was shaped by personal experience from all sides - but what everyone agrees is on is far too many people are suffering awful deaths.

Now, something in our society has shifted, as she explains in the clip below...

Leadbeater hails 'respectful' debate - as bill passes for good of 'families'

We've just caught up with Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind this bill.

Speaking to our correspondent Liz Bates, she described the passing of the bill as "surreal" and a "huge relief".

"A huge amount of work has gone into getting us to this day," she said

"I think we had a very respectful debate - the chamber was, again, at its best, which I think was really important.

"But the important thing is we've got the bill over the line, which means so much to so many people. And I pay tribute to the families and people I've met in these recent months.

"This bill is about them. It's not about employees. It's about those people." 

Asked about the silence that fell on the chamber for much of the debate today, Leadbeater said it was important for discussions to remain "deeply respectful", adding she acknowledges people disagree with her on this issue.

"This is the right thing to do, I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't believe that firmly, strongly," she said.

"It was quite a surreal moment, but also deeply respectful, which is, again, how I've tried to conduct this debate throughout the whole thing.

"We've got to learn to disagree better in this country, and sometimes we don't do it well. But I think at times in this debate, we've seen that done very, very well."

Campaigner tearfully welcomes assisted dying bill passing Commons

Frank Tate-Sutton is speaking to Sky News health correspondent Laura Bundock.

Frank is terminally ill and wanted assisted dying to be brought in.

She tearfully tells Laura how she is relieved the bill has passed the most recent hurdle.

"These are happy tears", she says.

Frank says her quality of life is "very important - and I'm losing it".

She goes on to say: "I don't want to die without dignity, without it being my choice, without my family knowing that this is what I want."

A historic moment precipitated by a brutal murder

By Ashish Joshi, health correspondent

A chain of events that started with the brutal murder of an MP almost 10 years ago has today lead to historic societal change, the like of which many of us will never see again.

Assisted dying is set to be legalised in England and Wales. In four years time, adults with six months or less to live and who can prove their mental capacity will be allowed to choose to die.

Kim Leadbeater, the MP who has made this possible, never held political aspirations. Previously a lecturer in health, Leadbeater reluctantly stood for election after her sister Jo Cox was fatally stabbed and shot to death in a politically motivated attack in 2016.

And this is when, Leadbeater says, she was forced to engage with the assisted dying debate. Because of the sheer volume of correspondence from constituents asking her to champion the cause.

Polls have consistently shown some 70% of people support assisted dying. And ultimately it is this seismic shift in public opinion that has carried the vote. 

Britain now follows Canada, the USA, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Australia. All countries with sophisticated health systems - nowhere has assisted dying been reversed, once introduced.

The relationship between doctor and patient will now also change.

The question is being asked: Is an assisted death a treatment? There is no decisive answer. But it is a conversation that will now take place. The final answer could have significant consequences, especially in mental health settings.

There are still many unknowns. Who will be responsible for providing the service? The NHS? There is a strong emotional connection to the health service and many would oppose the move. But others will argue that patients trust the institution and would want to die in its arms.

The challenge for health leaders will be to try and reconcile the bitter divisions that now exist within the medical community. The royal colleges have tried to remain neutral on the issue but continued to challenge Leadbeater until the very end.

Their arguments of a failure of safeguards and scrutiny did not resonate with MPs. And nor did concerns over the further erosion of palliative care. Leadbeater's much repeated insistence that "this is the most scrutinized legislation anywhere in the world" carried the most weight.

Her argument that patients should not have to fear prolonged, agonising deaths or plan trips to a Dignitas clinic to die scared and alone, or be forced to take their own lives and have their bodies discovered by sons, daughters, husbands and wives because they could not endure the pain any longer was compelling.

The country believed her.

Assisted dying bill passed by MPs

The House of Commons has passed the assisted dying bill.

Kim Leadbeater, who proposed the bill, was seen crying in the chamber as it went through.

Some 314 MPs voted in favour, while 291 against - a majority of 23. 

This is less than half the majority in November at second reading, when 55 more MPs voted in favour than against.

This means the legislation will now be considered by the House of Lords.

Terminally ill patient hopeful bill will pass

By Laura Bundock, health correspondent

Frank Tate-Sutton was watching the debate closely from her south London home. 

She has stage four liver disease and is terminally ill.

She vehemently supports the bill.

"Today, I woke up feeling very emotional," she said.

"My brain's kind of all over the place, a little bit, especially because, you know, it's coming to the final decision, but nothing will stop me being pro to this bill."

MPs voting on assisted dying

The debate has finished on assisted dying, and MPs will now be going into the aye and no lobbies to give show their choices.

One of our reporters has spotted the prime minister going into the aye lobby.

These votes tend to take around 15 minutes to work through.

Last speech on assisted dying - vote imminent

Stephen Kinnock, who is a health minister, is rounding up the debate in the Commons on the assisted dying bill.

The government is not backing the bill, and Kinnock's support is from an individual standpoint.

Him standing up shows the vote will begin soon.

Kinnock thanks MPs for their scrutiny, including the people who served on the committee which went through proposed amendments.