B6 students celebrated UK Parliament Week last month by taking part in debate workshops as part of their Enrichment Day activities, along with those on the Honours Enrichment Programme and in A level Politics and Religious Studies who also discussed the matter. Due to the Parliamentary vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on 29th November, the students gained insights into different legal, moral and clinical arguments for and against assisted dying.
In addition to examining how a policy becomes a law by looking at the different stages of a Bill in Parliament, debaters on Enrichment Day engaged in Debating Masterclasses about the power of language to persuade, compel and convert, exploring perspectives being made by public commentators. Honours Debaters also participated in a two-part session critically examining questions and arguments such as the importance of choice, quality of life and dying, question of safeguards and risk to future legislation regarding end-of-life care, through the practical and ethical implications of what it could mean to legislate for assisted dying as an intervention in end-of-life care versus the need to keep improving end of life treatment options.
All debaters were elicited for their vote, in which one group in House of Commons fashion overwhelmingly voted ‘nay’ on the motion, whilst other groups were more nuanced in their approach calling for a private ballot to take place. 50 ballots were received, in which 54% voted against the motion and 46% in support of the motion. Lots of discussions are ongoing, in which a range of perspectives continue to inform the B6 Debate on the matter.
Lee Dickson, who leads Debating Enrichment, commented:
“I was very impressed by the level of maturity and openness to a range of perspectives on this issue. The students raised arguments and asked questions respectfully and insightfully, and whilst I am everyone voted as a matter of their personal conscience, they did so informed and curious about the possibilities of this proposed legislation.”
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