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Assisted Dying

My Lords, it is clear that people increasingly want the choice of an assisted death. Two very recent polls suggest overwhelming support: one put it at 75 per cent; the other at 82 per cent. In fact, all polls on assisted dying show that an overwhelming majority of people wish a change in the law. Opponents argue that the questions put to the public are biased but, given how many polls have been conducted, all with differing questions, surely one by now would have shown a result other than overwhelming support, but there is not one. You cannot just ignore opinion polls. Some argue that the public do not understand the complexity of the issue. I would advise against patronising the electorate, who understand suffering all too well. I would also advise against paternalism, no matter how well intentioned. Parliament must wake up; assisted death will happen at some point in the near future, hastened on by the clamour of society at large. More importantly than that, it has to happen in order to relieve the suffering of those who can no longer endure intractable distress.