Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Sadiq Khan: I’d vote against assisted dying bill if I was an MP

The London mayor is the latest high profile figure to come out in opposition to the bill

Sadiq Khan: I’d vote against assisted dying bill if I was an MP
Sadiq Khan

LONDON mayor Sadiq Khan has revealed he has “real concerns” about the assisted dying bill, saying he would vote against the proposed law if he was an MP.

He is the latest high profile figure to come out in opposition to the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill, joining former prime minister Gordon Brown, justice secretary Shabana Mahmood, and health secretary Wes Streeting.


Asked for his own view on the issue, Khan said he was worried about the possibility not only of “coercive control” but also about terminally ill people feeling “guilt” about the impact of their condition on others.

“I think the assisted dying bill is an incredibly complicated issue,” the mayor said. “I’ve heard the debate, I’ve read many pieces. I understand there are strong views on either side.

“I also understand there are many people who are undecided. I think it’s really important to respect the views of people on the other side of the debate.

“If I was a member of parliament, I’d be voting against the assisted dying bill. That’s not to say that those who feel strongly in favour of it are wrong.

“I think it’s right that the government has made this a free vote so MPs aren’t being whipped. I think it’s right that it’s a matter of conscience.

“But I’ve got real concerns in relation to the lack of palliative care available to those who are terminally unwell. I’ve got concerns about the state of the NHS, I’ve got concerns about the state of social care provision.

“I am concerned not just about coercive control… [but also] about some of the guilt those who are terminally ill may well have.

“For those reasons, if I had a vote, I’d be voting against.” (Local Democracy Reporting Service

More For You

british-muslims-iStock

The study noted that this identification was not due to any doctrinal obligation but was influenced by the perception that many Muslims do not feel fully accepted as British. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Majority of British Muslims identify by faith first, study finds

A STUDY by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL) has found that most British Muslims identify primarily with their religion rather than their nationality.

The research, based on a survey of 815 British Muslim adults by Whitestone Insight, revealed that 71 per cent of respondents identified as Muslim first, while 27 per cent identified as British, English, or Scottish first.

Keep ReadingShow less
Car Tax Changes: EV Owners Now Required to Pay for the First Time

Owners of electric vehicles registered on or after 1 April 2025 will pay £10 for the first year, followed by the standard VED rate of £195 from the second year. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Car tax changes take effect: EV owners to pay for first time

FROM today, 1 April 2025, electric cars, vans, and motorcycles in the UK will be subject to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for the first time.

The change, introduced in the 2022 Autumn Statement by former Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, aims to make motoring taxation fairer.

Keep ReadingShow less
scotland-minimum-wages-iStock

Full-time workers on the National Living Wage will receive an annual pay increase of £1,400 in real terms. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Wage increase takes effect for thousands of workers in Scotland

HUNDREDS of thousands of workers in Scotland will see a pay increase as new National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates take effect from Tuesday.

The changes will benefit approximately 220,000 people, according to STV News.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk-energy-bill-iStock

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

April bill increases put financial strain on single parents

A RANGE of essential household bills are increasing from April, with Citizens Advice warning that single parents will be among the hardest hit.

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased, BBC reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools
Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper in 'Adolescence'
Netflix

Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools

THE NETFLIX drama Adolescence will be shown in UK secondary schools as part of efforts to address harmful online influences on young boys, officials announced on Monday.

The show has sparked debate over the impact of toxic and misogynistic content on the internet. Prime minister Keir Starmer met the show's creators, charities, and young people at Downing Street, calling the initiative an important step in starting discussions about the content teenagers are exposed to online.

Keep ReadingShow less