Isle of Man assisted dying bill criteria questioned by lobbyists

The assisted dying bill has had its first reading in the Manx parliament

PA Media Close up of two people holding hands — The assisted dying bill has had its first reading in the Manx parliament

Campaign groups are calling on Manx politicians to widen the eligibility criteria set out in proposed new assisted dying laws.

The private members bill, brought forward by Alex Allinson, had its first reading in the House of Keys this week.

Island residents with a terminal illness would be eligible if they had a life expectancy of six months or less.

Lobby group Humanists UK said the law should also cover those people "who are incurably and intolerably suffering".

'Suffering indignity'

Campaigner Nathan Stilwell said it was "really positive to see some progression" but said the stipulation of a six-month life expectancy was too "restricted".

He said: "We think there are quite a few people who are experiencing pain and suffering and indignity who don't necessarily have six months left to live.

"We think these people should have the right to have an assisted death on their terms, if their pain and suffering becomes so much that they deem it themselves to be intolerable."

While the bill has been welcomed by many, a public consultation on the subject earlier this year divided local opinion.

An opposition group called Manx Duty of Care has also been set up by 50 health and social care workers.

Their key concerns centre around possible undetected coercion in patients, as well as the potential future broadening of such a law.

But Mr Stilwell said opinion polls across the UK had shown "tremendous public support" for assisted dying.

"This has to be a people-centric system, a patient-centric system," he said.

"This is a democratic purpose, it's the role of parliamentarians, the role of politicians in general to draw this line in the sand and we think they should be drawing the most compassionate line in the sand that they can."