Assisted dying bill’s ‘strict’ safeguards to include long jail terms for coercion

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater's proposed legislation also includes powers for judges to cross-examine patients

A historic bill to legalise assisted dying will set out hardline safeguards, including lengthy prison sentences for coercion and powers for judges to cross-examine patients.

The Labour MP Kim Leadbeater said she believed she had put forward the best possible legislation" but warned wavering MPs that parliament may not get another chance to vote again on the issue for another decade.

Patients must be over 18, have the mental capacity to make a choice about the end of their life and must be terminally ill and expected to die within six months

They must express a clear, settled and informed' wish in two separate witnessed declarations

Two independent doctors must be satisfied that the person is eligible

The application must be approved by a high court judge who would hear from at least one of the doctors and may question the patient or anyone else involved

Medicine must be self-administered with doctors banned from assisting

Coercion of a patient would be a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison