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Order. Order.

Hello, I'm Alicia McCarthy and this is the Today in Parliament podcast from BBC Radio 4 for Friday the 16th of May,

where passionate debate returns to the Commons as MPs examine the details of plans to legalise assisted dying.

We are not a debating society, we are now legislating for a law that would enable the state

to assist in taking people taking their lives. The MP behind the legislation says the bill

does have safeguards and she's heard

the testimony of hundreds of people facing imminent death. It's impossible to know what it must

feel like to receive a terminal diagnosis. I have nothing but admiration for people who have

bravely spoken about their personal situations. The terminally ill adult's end oflife bill was last in front of all MPs in the Commons in November.

Since then, it's been a way being considered by a committee, looking at it in clause-by-clause detail.

Now it was back in the comments with a chance for all MPs to have their say and vote on proposed changes.

So we're devoting this programme

to the arguments made at this latest crucial stage of the bill. The legislation would give

termly ill adults with six months to live the chance to seek help to end their lives. Although the

bill applies to England and Wales, politicians in Wales would have a vote on whether or not the change would come in there.

Members of the Scottish Parliament gave initial backing to proposals legalising assisted dying in Scotland earlier in the week.

The bill before MPs has been brought forward by Labour's Kim Ledbetter, not the government, and MPs have a free vote on it instead of along party lines.

With demonstrators for and against the legislation gathered outside Parliament,

in the Commons, Kim Ledbeter opened the debate.

She told a crowded Commons Chamber, it was time for change.

If we do not vote to change the law, we are essentially

...