Tragedy in Jersey as politicians pass assisted suicide

Jersey’s politicians have voted through an assisted suicide Bill.

The Bill was passed by 32 votes to 16. It will allow terminally ill adults to receive help to kill themselves if they are expected to die within six months, or 12 months if they have a neurodegenerative condition. It also makes provisions for euthanasia, where a doctor or nurse may directly administer the lethal drugs to end the life of their patient.

It will be sent for Royal Assent, with the first assisted suicides expected to happen as soon as next year.

‘Life is precious’

Jersey State Member Louise Doublet, who voted for the legislation, called assisted suicide “one of the most meaningful things we can do for our island.”

The self-described humanist claimed she is “guided by principles of compassion”, and said: “It is a compassionate gift we are giving our island.”

Jersey politician Sir Philip Bailhache, who voted against it, commented: “I’m all in favour of compassion, I’m in favour of people having deaths which are good deaths, but I’m not in favour of the law which has just been passed.

“Life is a precious thing and I don’t think really that it’s for people to remove life in the way in which the assisted dying law is now going to authorise.”

He added: “I fear that it will change the community of Jersey in a way in which we may not yet be able to foresee.”

Tragedy

The Institute’s Head of Communications, Angus Saul, said: “It is a tragedy that assisted suicide has been passed in Jersey.

“Under the guise of ‘compassion’, these politicians are inflicting the island with dangerous legislation which affirms despair and turns doctors into killers.”

He added: “Let’s pray that politicians in Scotland and England choose differently, defending the most vulnerable and instead investing in good palliative care which we know can greatly alleviate suffering at the end of life.”

Wales

This week, the Welsh Senedd voted in favour of granting legislative consent to the devolved aspects of Westminster’s assisted suicide Bill.

According to convention, the Senedd’s consent is required for a UK Bill to be implemented on a devolved issue. On Tuesday, MSs voted 28 to 23, to permit Kim Leadbeater’s Westminster Bill to be applied by the NHS in Wales.

However, they also voted by more than two to one to criticise the “lack of thorough consideration of the constitutional implications of this Bill for Wales”.

The motion centred on how Leadbeater’s Bill would be practised in Wales, not a vote on the principle of assisted suicide. If her proposals fall in the House of Lords, the vote will not take effect.