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NLJ this week: Lord Neuberger on assisted dying

19 September 2025
Issue: 8131 / Categories: Legal News , Human rights , Health
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Lord Neuberger, former president of the Supreme Court, shares his views on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in this week's NLJ with William Raven

Neuberger advocates for liberalising assisted dying laws, citing personal autonomy as a fundamental right. He criticises the Bill’s six-month life expectancy limit and the government’s failure to sponsor it, arguing that a parliamentary committee should have preceded legislation. He supports the revised proposal for a panel of experts—rather than a High Court judge—to assess applications, maintaining that judges should only intervene in disputes.

Neuberger also reflects on the judiciary’s ‘priestly function’ and the need to preserve its high standards. The Bill, now in the Lords, faces scrutiny amid concerns over safeguards and ethical boundaries. Neuberger’s nuanced stance underscores the legal and moral complexities of assisted dying, urging reform grounded in compassion and clarity.

Issue: 8131 / Categories: Legal News , Human rights , Health
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