UK Politics

The European Union has given the green light to post-Brexit youth visas with the UK, after member states approved talks on how they would work in practice. Campaigners welcomed what they hailed as a “massive step forward for young people in the UK.” The European Council, which comprises the leaders of EU member countries, has backed opening up detailed discussions with the UK to determine how many visas would be issued and what conditions they would have. Britons lost the right to live and work in the EU – so-called “freedom of movement” – and vice versa, after the UK left the bloc. But there have long been calls for a scheme for 18-30 years olds that would allow Brits to work on the continent, and young people from EU countries to come here, for a short period of a few years. Britain already has similar agreements on youth mobility with 13 separate countries, including Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Iceland, Uruguay, Hong Kong and Taiwan.Talks are to open on post-Brexit youth visas More

The assisted dying bill has been passed in the House of Commons and its sponsor Kim Leadbeater has earned her place in history – but there are still a number of hurdles it needs to clear before becoming law.The legislation now goes to the House of Lords, where a large number of opponents are lying in wait.They will be emboldened by the fact that the bill was passed in the Commons by a tiny majority of 23, half the original majority of 55. More importantly, the number of 314 is just below the 318 needed for an absolute majority in the Commons. All this paves the way for a constitutional crisis.A group of Tory peers will predictably try to cause trouble in the upper house, but the real problem could come from the crossbenchers.Prominent figures like Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, the former Paralympian, and Baroness Ilora Finlay, a professor of palliative medicine, will be bringing a large number of concerns about coercion, disability rights and other issues.Kim Leadbeater proposed the bill More

Assisted dying is one step closer to becoming law after a historic vote in the House of Commons paved the way for one of the biggest changes to social policy since abortion was legalised in 1967.Following an emotional debate, MPs passed Kim Leadbeater’s bill by 314 to 291 votes – a majority of just 23 – to legalise the procedure for people with terminal illnesses. The legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales who have fewer than six months to live to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel including a social worker, a senior legal figure and a psychiatrist. Supporters of the assisted dying bill wept and hugged one another outside parliament as news broke that MPs had passed the legislation.The bill will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny, where it is set to face more opposition. The vote came after months of impassioned debate, culminating in a tense third reading debate on Friday.Ms Leadbeater described the passing of the assisted dying bill at third reading as a “result that so many people need”.The Spen Valley MP added: “When you’ve spent as much time as I have with people who have got experience of losing loved ones in very difficult circumstances, and you’ve spent time with terminally ill people who are just asking for choice at the end of their days, then this is absolutely the right thing to do.”Among the MPs who backed the bill were prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and his predecessor Rishi Sunak. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, health secretary Wes Streeting and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, meanwhile, voted against. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater opened debate on her bill’s third reading in the Commons More

MPs backed the assisted dying bill in a historic Commons vote on Friday, passing it by a narrow 23-vote majority after an emotional four-hour debate. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill allows terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for assisted death. Applications would require approval from two doctors and a panel including a social worker, a senior legal figure, and a psychiatrist.The bill now advances to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. Supporters celebrated the moment as a major step toward legalising assisted dying before the next election. Andrew Copson, CEO of Humanists UK, praised MPs for reflecting public support for dignity and choice at the end of life. Bill sponsor Kim Leadbeater was seen in tears as the result was announced.Opposition voices, however, remain strong. Critics called the bill “deeply flawed and dangerous.” James Sanderson, CEO of palliative care charity Sue Ryder, warned that inadequate end-of-life care may leave some feeling they have no other option.“Our research shows 77 per cent of people believe poor care access could push terminally ill individuals toward assisted death,” he said, urging systemic care improvements regardless of the bill’s fate in the Lords.With so much at stake and such deeply personal questions at the heart of this debate, we want to hear from you: do you support the assisted dying bill?Vote in our poll and let us know your thoughts in the comments. More

Assisted dying is one step closer to becoming law after a historic vote in the House of Commons, paving the way for one of the biggest changes to social policy since abortion was legalised in 1967.Following an emotional debate, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was passed by 314 to 291 with a majority of just 23, with a hushed Commons hearing the result in a major victory for its sponsor Kim Leadbeater.It now goes to the House of Lords for further scrutiny where it is set to meet more opposition. The vote came after months of impassioned debate, culminating in a tense third reading debate on Friday.Labour MP Kim Leadbeater opened debate on her Bill’s third reading in the Commons (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA) More

The assisted dying bill has been passed in the House of Commons and its sponsor Kim Leadbeater has earned her place in history – but there are still a number of hurdles it needs to clear before becoming law.The legislation now goes to the House of Lords, where a large number of opponents are lying in wait.They will be emboldened by the fact that the Bill was passed in the Commons by a tiny majority of 23, half the original majority of 55. More importantly, the number of 314 is just below the 318 needed for an absolute majority in the Commons. All this paves the way for a constitutional crisis.A group of Tory peers will predictably try to cause trouble in the upper house, but the real problem could come from the cross benches.Prominent figures like Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, the former Paralympian, and Baroness Ilora Finlay, a professor of palliative medicine, will be bringing a large number of concerns about coercion, disability rights and other issues.Kim Leadbeater proposed the bill More

The third reading and final Commons vote on Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on Friday marks a truly historic moment for parliament.The stakes are so high that entrepreneur Declan Ganley has offered a private ambulance to MP Sorcha Eastwood, who is ill with Covid, to get her to the Commons to vote against the Bill.No wonder. It has been almost six decades since MPs have considered a Bill that would cause such a profound and fundamental change in the state’s relationship with individuals and society’s attitude to life and death.An historic voteIn December Ms Leadbeater won a 55 majority on the second reading vote of her Bill, dealing with the principle rather than details, and is expected to carry a reduced majority today, although that is less certain than it was before.Terminally ill lay preacher Pamela Fisher, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater and campaigner and cancer patient Sophie Blake (Jonathan Brady/PA) More

The third reading and final Commons vote on Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on Friday marks a truly historic moment for parliament.The stakes are so high that entrepreneur Declan Ganley has offered a private ambulance to MP Sorcha Eastwood, who is ill with Covid, to get her to the Commons to vote against the Bill.No wonder. It has been almost six decades since MPs have considered a Bill that would cause such a profound and fundamental change in the state’s relationship with individuals and society’s attitude to life and death.An historic voteIn December Ms Leadbeater won a 55 majority on the second reading vote of her Bill, dealing with the principle rather than details, and is expected to carry a reduced majority today, although that is less certain than it was before.Terminally ill lay preacher Pamela Fisher, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater and campaigner and cancer patient Sophie Blake (Jonathan Brady/PA) More