Markus Andrews

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreParliament will vote on an assisted dying bill tomorrow for the first time in nearly a decade.Labour MP Kim Leadbeater proposed the Private Members Bill in mid-October, which will legalise assisted death under certain conditions for terminally ill adults in England and Wales. The bill would apply to those who are over 18 years old, have mental capacity, and have six months left to live, with the consent of two medical professionals. The bill has generated strong opinions from both sides of the assisted dying movement, while even some of those in favour have voiced concerns over the lack of safeguarding in the bill.A group of MPs have also pushed an amendment which may stop the bill from progressing to a vote this week.The Independent analysed public statements from all 650 MPs, in addition to news reports and other available information, to find which MPs will likely vote for or against the assisted dying bill this week. The analysis will be updated as more MPs come forward.The bill is open to a “free vote”, meaning that the party whips will not dictate whether to support or oppose the bill. Individual MPs are free to vote based on their own values and opinions of their constituents, regardless of whether they are Labour, Tory, or otherwise. Note: the voting intention of MPs is not final until the votes have been cast on Friday. As this is a sensitive issue, many MPs are still deciding and some could change their mind from previous positions.Our updated analysis has found that at least 104 MPs are likely to vote in favour of the bill, while at least 97 are likely to vote against it.Dozens of MPs have come out in the last few days alone in support or criticism of the bill, as political heavyweights on either side of the debate have published their thoughts in the papers.Some 477 MPs have either not made their opinion on assisted dying public, said they are still weighing up both possibilities or said they will abstain from the vote. Taking this into consideration, it will be difficult to say exactly whether the vote will pass. There is a significant degree of “unknown”, particularly among first-time MPs who are facing the issue for the first time.When including assumptions of how MPs might vote based on positions in the 2015 bill and previous statements, approximately 212 MPs may support the bill and 209 may vote against it, with the rest unknown. Meanwhile, when also including voting intentions shared privately off-record, The Times reports that 265 MPs are planning to vote for the assisted dying bill, and 217 plan to vote against it. Both our analysis and The Times’ analysis indicate that slightly more MPs are leaning in favour of the assisted dying bill than not. Within the parties, our analysis found MPs are divided between voting for and against the bill, according to public declarations, reports, and working group memberships.Labour MPs are more likely than Tories to lean towards supporting the assisted dying bill, which was proposed by a fellow Labour MP.However, influential Labour figure Gordon Brown penned an op-ed in opposition of assisted dying, which has been shared by several Labour MPs.At present, an estimated 66 Labour MPs will support the bill, while 55 will vote against it. Among those against the bill are some of Labour’s most prominent members, including health secretary Wes Streeting, and long-standing MP Diane Abbott. Health secretary Wes Streeting has spoken out against the assisted dying bill More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreMPs are debating the divisive issue of assisted dying for the first time in almost a decade ahead of a historic vote this afternoon.Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the bill, has argued her colleagues have a chance to “correct injustice and reduce human suffering”, while opposition campaigners have warned of “inevitable abuse, pressure, coercion and mistakes”.Five hours have been set aside for MPs to air their views on the controversial Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in the Commons on Friday.A vote must be called before 2.30pm otherwise the bill is highly unlikely to make any further progress through parliament, with Ms Leadbeater saying she is hopeful this “major social reform” will pass this first stage in the process of becoming law.The debate comes after the issue was voted down by MPs in 2015, with MPs split over the new proposed legislation.Encouraging or assisting suicide is against the law in England and Wales, with a maximum jail sentence of 14 years.Kim Leadbeater opening the debate in favour of her Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in the Commons on Friday More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreBritish troops should be sent to guard Ukraine’s border under any future ceasefire with Russia, Boris Johnson has said.The former prime minister has said responsibility for keeping any deal intact should fall to a group of European peace-keeping forces.Ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House, which is expected to spark talks to end the conflict, Mr Johnson said British troops should be sent to Ukraine to maintain a ceasefire.Vladimir Putin praised Donald Trump as an ‘intelligent’ man More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreA group of medics, disability campaigners and faith leaders have urged undecided MPs to reject a bill that would make assisted dying legal.They warn there are “numerous problems” with Labour MP Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, including possible coercion and the “strain” the change would place on judges and the court system. “We urge MPs who share these and other concerns not to abstain, but to vote against this proposal,” they say. The call has been backed by Abdul-Azim Ahmed, the secretary general of the Muslim Council of Wales, Tanni Grey-Thompson, the peer and Paralympian, and consultant and member of the House of Lords Ilora Finlay, among others.MPs have been urged to vote no to the assisted dying bill More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreAll pensioners in Scotland will receive a winter fuel payment once again from next year, the Scottish government has announced.The Westminster and Scottish governments earlier this year both scrapped the universal payment, making it means-tested instead, so only people on pension credit or similar benefits qualify.But Scotland’s social justice secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville told the Scottish parliament on Thursday: “This Scottish government is determined to stay true to our values. We will not abandon older people this winter, or indeed any winter, and we will continue to protect our pensioners from the harsh reality of a UK Labour government.”If the plan is passed in Holyrood, the universal winter fuel payment is expected to be revived by next winter and will help around 900,000 people north of the border who are not getting it this winter.Ms Somerville said every pensioner in Scotland would receive it. Those on pension credit would receive £200 or £300 depending on their age, and wealthier pensioners would receive £100.Chancellor Rachel Reeves blamed a £22bn black hole in government finances for scrapping the universal fuel payment, saying the measure would save around £1.4bn this financial year. The decision prompted widespread concern and anger.Shirley-Anne Somerville announced the move on Thursday (Jane Barlow/PA) More