Esther Rantzen urges MPs to support assisted dying bill ahead of key vote

MPs are set to vote on a private members bill to legalize assisted dying, introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater. This is the first parliamentary vote on the issue since 2015, when a similar bill was defeated. Dame Esther Rantzen, who has stage 4 lung cancer, urged MPs to support the bill, emphasizing the public's concern about suffering. She highlighted the financial burden of seeking assisted dying abroad and called for a change in the law. The bill would allow terminally ill adults with less than six months to live to choose assisted dying with medical and judicial approval. Some MPs have proposed an amendment to delay the vote, citing the need for more time to consider the details.