Hello and welcome to Newsar from the BBC World Service coming to you live from our studios in central London.

I'm Julian Marshall.

First is a history-defining moment in the British Parliament.

The eyes to the right, 330.

The nose to the left, 275. The eyes have it, the eyes have it. And with

that vote, a bill which would give those in England and Wales with terminal illnesses,

the right to legally end their own lives, what's known as assisted dying, moved a step closer to becoming law.

The bill still faces weeks of further scrutiny with the possibility of further amendments,

but if finally approved, it would give those aged over 18 with less than six months left to live

the option of having a doctor prescribed them lethal drugs,

but with a number of safeguards. MPs were under no pressure to vote along party lines in what's

known as a free vote, and they did so by 330 to 275 to pass the bill. It had been proposed by Kim Ledbeter from the governing Labour Party

who acknowledged that the decision-facing MPs was not straightforward.

I know that this is not easy. It certainly hasn't been easy for me. But if any of us

wanted an easy life, I'm afraid we're in the wrong place. She argued the current system was failing, leaving families in impossible positions as they care

for terminally ill relatives and robbing those who are sick of choice.

Any one of us or our loved ones could be unfortunate or unlucky enough to receive a terminal

diagnosis. And I struggle to see how it is fair or just to deny anyone the autonomy, dignity and personal choice

that we might want to take control of our final weeks.

And the right to choose does not take away the right not to choose.

Amen.

Giving the choice of an assisted death to those who want it

...