It has always been a puzzle that the UK has made
no progress in choices-in-dying legislation despite many other countries have done so. Since 1936 there have about 12 attempts at law reform in the Westminster parliament — all failed. And this is supposed to be the ‘mother of democracies’!
Reading the new opinion poll underlines the gap:
More than 90% of the UK’s population believes assisted dying should be legalized for those suffering from terminal illnesses, according to an opinion poll that shows growing support for change to the law.
A survey carried out by the campaign group My Death, My Decision (MDMD) also found that 88% of respondents considered it acceptable for dementia sufferers to receive help to end their lives, provided they consented before losing their mental capacity.
The results have been released as the Royal College of Physicians polls its members in March on whether they back a change to the ban on the right to die.
The MDMD poll was conducted by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and involved 2,500 respondents. A previous survey carried out by Dignity in Dying in 2015 found that 82% of people supported assisted dying.
