Ep 56: The Assisted Dying Bill 2021
Posted: Tue, 7th Sep 2021
The Assisted Dying Bill 2021 is likely to have its second reading this autumn. But how far should the law permit those who wish to die to be assisted by others in doing so?
In this episode, Emma Park speaks to two guests about the details of this private member's bill, its history and underlying principles.
Molly Meacher, Baroness Meacher, (02:13) is the promoter of the bill in the House of Lords and Chair of Dignity in Dying, a campaign group that supports AD for terminally ill patients with no more than six months to live. She discusses the key provisions of the bill and the rationale behind its numerous safeguards.
A.C. Grayling (19:24) is a philosopher, Master of the New College of the Humanities and a former Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck. In a recent article for The Times, he argued that the right to be given help to end one's life should potentially be extended far beyond the case of terminally ill patients. He explores the considerations for and against reforming the law, and argues that the right to die is derived from the principle of personal autonomy.
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Podcast produced by Emma Park for the National Secular Society (2021). All rights reserved.
We publish our podcast to enable exploration of subjects of interest to NSS members and supporters. Guests' views may not always align with those of the NSS.
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