The United Kingdom is moving toward legalizing euthanasia, following in the path of Canada and other countries. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly fast-tracking legislation, with a vote in the House of Commons now expected before Christmas, possibly within weeks. While he has promised no repercussions against those who vote against his pro-euthanasia line, his massive majority leaves little doubt that his view will prevail. What is curious is that he is in such a rush. The reason, sadly, may be reflective of one of the darkest aspects of universal health care, and of the welfare state as a whole.
Starmer, when cornered in a phone call with an activist in March, did announce that he would change the law to allow euthanasia (“assisted dying”) during this parliamentary term if he were to win the election, as he did. Yet this issue did not come up during the election campaign. Other than this vague promise to legalize euthanasia sometime over the next five years, nothing really suggested that the issue was one Starmer cared more about than did voters, who ranked it 22 out of 23 on their list of priorities. That, however, was then.
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