FORMER prime minister Lord David Cameron has announced his support for the assisted dying bill, marking a shift from his previous opposition to such measures.
Writing in The Times, Lord Cameron said the bill aims to "shorten death" for terminally ill adults rather than end life prematurely.
Lord Cameron acknowledged his earlier concerns about the potential for vulnerable individuals to be pressured into hastening their deaths but expressed confidence in the "sufficient safeguards" included in the current proposal to prevent coercion.
The bill, introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, seeks to allow terminally ill adults expected to die within six months to seek medical assistance to end their lives.
The process would require approval from two doctors and a high court judge, ensuring applicants are over 18, have the mental capacity to make the decision, and express a voluntary, clear, and informed wish without coercion.
Lord Cameron stated his intention to vote in favour of the bill if it reaches the House of Lords. He highlighted additional safeguards in the legislation, including criminalising coercion, and argued that the law could significantly reduce human suffering.
Other former prime ministers, including Gordon Brown, Baroness Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss, have opposed the bill.
Brown, a long-standing critic of assisted dying, told BBC Radio 4 that such legislation could alter societal attitudes towards vulnerable groups and undermine the role of healthcare professionals as caregivers.
Current UK laws prohibit any form of assisted dying.
