IN 2015, the last major attempt to legalise assisted suicide in Britain was resoundingly defeated in the House of Commons with a vote of 330 against and 118 in favour. At the time, Jeremy Corbyn spoke against the Bill, saying to supporters: “This Bill would put the most vulnerable people at risk.”

Pointing to the flaws in our social care system, Corbyn was rightly fearful of how legalised assisted suicide would impact vulnerable members of society. “I don’t believe we should be talking about assisted dying until our social care and health care systems have been improved sufficiently with a focus on the sick and elderly,” he added.

Fast forward to today, following the economic impacts of Covid-19, a health system that is on its knees, reports of horrific treatment of residents in care homes, and a cost-of-living crisis, and Corbyn’s words don’t seem radical enough for our current economic climate.