Ordinary voices The power behind assisted dying vote
The Guardian Weekly|December 06, 2024
Many influential people spoke for and against Kim Leadbeater's bill, but it was the opinions of constituents that had greatest sway over MPs
Jessica Elgot
Ordinary voices The power behind assisted dying vote

It is hard to think of a better MP to take on the cause of assisted dying than Kim Leadbeater. She is energetic, engaging, persuasive and speaks like a normal human being. She has no tribal reputation, so there is no barrier to winning over Conservatives, and she has experience of personal tragedy: her sister, the MP Jo Cox, was murdered.

But it would be wrong to say it was Leadbeater who won this initial push to legalise assisted dying, which MPs voted for by 330 to 275 votes last Friday. Under the surface, the most important contribution has been the one made by ordinary people, an experiment in participatory democracy by stealth.

Downing Street may sneer at the idea of citizens' assemblies, but there have been small-scale ones happening all the same. Hundreds of MPs were undecided at the start of this process. So invitations were sent out in constituencies for people to meet their MPs and tell their stories - in pubs, libraries, community halls.

On equal marriage, it was often said that parliament was ahead of public opinion. On assisted dying, parliament has seemed to lag behind. Two-thirds of those polled back assisted dying. Equal marriage or abortion are comparable moments of a fundamental societal shift. But they will never be personal to everyone - unlike death.

This story is from the December 06, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the December 06, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE GUARDIAN WEEKLYView All
The Saudi football World Cup is an act of violence and disdain
The Guardian Weekly

The Saudi football World Cup is an act of violence and disdain

Well, that's that then. In the event there were only two notes of jeopardy around Fifa's extraordinary virtual congress last week to announce the winning mono-bids, the vote without a vote, for the right to host the 2030 and 2034 football World Cups.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 20, 2024
AI has made the move into video and it's worryingly plausible
The Guardian Weekly

AI has made the move into video and it's worryingly plausible

I recently had the opportunity to see a demo of Sora, OpenAI's video generation tool, which was released in the US last Monday, and it was so impressive it made me worried for the future.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 20, 2024
With tyrant Assad ousted, Syrians deserve support and hope
The Guardian Weekly

With tyrant Assad ousted, Syrians deserve support and hope

Last week, time collapsed. Bashar al-Assad's fall recalled scenes across the region from the start of the Arab spring almost 14 years ago. Suddenly history felt vivid, its memories sharpened. In fact it no longer felt like history.

time-read
4 mins  |
December 20, 2024
TV
The Guardian Weekly

TV

The Guardian Weekly team reveals our small-screen picks of the year, from the underground vaults of post-apocalyptic Fallout to the mile-high escapism of Rivals

time-read
4 mins  |
December 20, 2024
Albums
The Guardian Weekly

Albums

Murky love stories, nostalgic pop and an in-your-face masterpiece captured our critics' ears in 2024

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 20, 2024
Film
The Guardian Weekly

Film

Visual language, sound, light and rhythm are to the fore in the best movies of the year

time-read
10 mins  |
December 20, 2024
Hidden delights Our 24 travel finds of 2024
The Guardian Weekly

Hidden delights Our 24 travel finds of 2024

Guardian travel writers share their discoveries of the year, from Læsø to Lazio

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 20, 2024
'It's really a disaster' The fight to save lives as gang war consumes capital
The Guardian Weekly

'It's really a disaster' The fight to save lives as gang war consumes capital

Dr James Gana stepped out on to the balcony of his hospital overlooking a city under siege. \"There's a sensation of 'What's next?'. Desperation is definitely present,\" the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) medic said, as he stared down at one of scores of camps for displaced Haitians in their country's violence-plagued capital.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 20, 2024
Trailblazers The inspiring people we met around the world this year
The Guardian Weekly

Trailblazers The inspiring people we met around the world this year

From an exuberant mountaineer to a woman defiantly facing the guns of war, here are some of the brave individuals who gave us hope in a tumultuous 2024

time-read
10 mins  |
December 20, 2024
Votes of confidence
The Guardian Weekly

Votes of confidence

From India to Venezuela and Senegal to the US, more people voted this year than ever before, with over 80 elections across the world. With rising authoritarianism and citizen-led resistance revealing its vulnerabilities and resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges, has democracy reached its breaking or turning point?

time-read
8 mins  |
December 20, 2024