The vote could be held as early as right before Christmas and, if passed, it is said that it would have a similar impact on society as the passage of the 1967 Abortion Act.
The Catholic Herald reports that Starmer committed himself to supporting the legislation in a televised phone call with Dame Esther Rantzen, an 84-year-old English journalist.
Dame Esther has been outspoken in her support of assisted suicide throughout her battle with stage 4 lung cancer.
In the interview, Starmer commented that he thought “we need to make time … we will make time for this vote.” After the conversation, the Labour party released a statement that supported the Prime Minister’s pledge:
“The wheels are turning. It has been made clear to the MPs at the top of the ballot that the PM backs a change in the law.”
According to the Daily Mail, the law would allow terminally-ill adults with a life expectancy of less than six months to end their lives with medical help. The issue last came to a vote in 2015, when Parliament rejected the proposal at a vote of 330 to 118. This time around, it is expected to garner more support after the Labour Party made big gains in the last election season.
Still, it is unclear if Parliament will vote to pass in a 2024 vote, as even members of PM Starmer’s cabinet are not in full agreement. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood commented:
“I don't intend to support it… I know some MPs who support this issue think, 'For God's sake, we're not a nation of granny killers, what's wrong with you'… [But] once you cross that line, you've crossed it forever. If it becomes the norm that at a certain age or with certain diseases, you are now a bit of a burden… that's a really dangerous position.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting was also hesitant to lend his support, describing himself as “conflicted.” He cautioned that the country has poor end-of-life care and noted that “right protections” were necessary in the establishment of such laws. He worried that some may choose to end their lives if they thought they were a “burden on others.” He commented:
“Candidly, when I think about this question of being a burden, I do not think that palliative care, end-of-life care in this country, is in a condition yet where we are giving people the freedom to choose, without being coerced by the lack of support available.”