The assisted dying bill has passed. At last: a decent life can end in a decent death | Polly Toynbee

MPs had a chance to make a seismic change to ease the suffering of countless people. I’m so glad they took itHere it is at last, a landmark that will be an enduring symbol and the humane legacy of this Labour government. Parliament has finally caught up with the public, who have long been firmly and unwaveringly in support of assisted dying since the first polls on the issue more than 40 years ago. What took MPs so long?In the debate today the reasons for that support were graphically and sometimes horrifically laid out by MPs, including Kim Leadbeater, in whose name this law will pass into history. The status quo is “cruel and dangerous” said Andrew Mitchell from the Tory benches. There is no “safe” avoidance of suffering, there is no certainty that palliative care will always prevent a horrible death. Morphine is no saviour, as I have witnessed in my own family. Leadbeater gave a terrible example: “Tom vomited faecal matter for five hours before he ultimately inhaled the faeces and died. He was vomiting so violently that he could not be sedated, and was conscious throughout” while his family pleaded with doctors to help.Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...