21 hours ago
MP offered private ambulance to attend assisted dying vote
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.
