Politics, Religion and Assisted Dying

Why is the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill being introduced as a Private Member’s Bill, and how does this approach compare to historical conscience-driven legislation like the Abortion Act or the abolition of capital punishment?

In this episode of Double Jeopardy, hosts Ken Macdonald and Tim Owen delve into the complex issues surrounding assisted dying, with a focus on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill due for Second Reading in Parliament on 29th November. They examine its historical context, the state of public opinion and question the legitimacy of Cabinet Ministers such as Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood deploying resource based arguments against the Bill and consider the role of religious belief in the public debate.

The discussion also examines the parliamentary scrutiny process and the judiciary's role in safeguarding against coercion.

The episode further explores the controversial subject of non-crime hate incidents, critiquing current police practices and addressing the challenge of balancing the monitoring of hate speech with the protection of civil liberties.

This thought-provoking episode offers an in-depth analysis of two critical intersections of law and politics.