MP offered private ambulance to attend assisted dying vote

WorldPolitics
20 Jun 2025 • 1:16 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Northern Irish MP Sorcha Eastwood, a vocal opponent of the assisted dying bill, was initially unable to attend a critical Westminster vote due to a Covid-19 infection.
  • An entrepreneur offered to transport Eastwood via private ambulance if she tested negative, and she later indicated she would travel if her tests allowed.
  • The assisted dying bill faces a very close vote, with four Labour MPs announcing a switch from supporting to opposing the legislation shortly before the vote.
  • Over 60 disability organizations and public polling raised significant concerns about the bill's impact on people with learning disabilities, citing fears of coercion and issues with informed consent.
  • The prime minister rejected calls for a delay to the vote, and the bill's proponent warned that rejection could mean a decade-long wait for the issue to be debated again.

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