LONDON – The British Parliament has approved a controversial bill to allow medically assisted dying of patients who are close to death. After emotional speeches and statements, the bill was passed by 300 votes to 275.

The bill will become a law once the other parliamentary processes, which take several months, are completed. This will allow an adult patient in England and Wales to have medically assisted dying within six months if death is believed to be certain. Parliament approved the bill after detailed discussions, which were openly opposed by the Catholic Church, many social organizations and activists.

A section of the ruling Labor Party itself opposed the bill. Proponents and opponents gathered in Parliament Square in Westminster as the bill was debated in Parliament. Opponents of the bill greeted the news from Parliament with dismay and those in favor with jubilation.

Under current law in Britain there is no provision for medical aid in dying. But this will become possible after the new law comes into force. It is just that one can reach this only through many medical and legal hurdles.

234 Labor MPs voted in favor of the bill. 147 people voted against. 92 members of the Conservative Party were against the bill. But 23 people voted in favor of the bill. All 61 members of the Liberal Democratic Party were in favor of the bill. In this way, the bill was passed with the support of a section of the opposition parties.