The chief minister of Guernsey has called for some terminally-ill people to be given access to assisted dying as he opened a debate that could pave the way for euthanasia being legalised on the island.

Beginning the debate in the island’s parliament, Gavin St Pier argued that increasing rights of autonomy and self-determination – including choosing one’s manner and time of death – was the “right thing to do”.

He called for Guernsey to follow the example of US states such as Oregon, where adults with mental capacity and who have only six months to live are able to opt for assisted dying.

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Should the 40-strong parliament, called the States of Deliberation, back the proposal, a detailed consultation will be carried out. The Channel island would become the only place in the British Isles to legalise assisted dying if the bill passes into law.

As a British crown dependency, Guernsey makes its own laws. St Pier’s proposal is a requête, which is similar to a private member’s bill in Westminster.

There were demonstrations from groups both in favour of and against assisted dying at the start of the debate, which is likely to carry on into Thursday and even Friday.

There were howls of protest from supporters of assisted dying when one member of the parliament, deputy Jan Kuttelwascher, confronted them: “If you want to kill yourself you can do so now. I just don’t agree with the idea of involving a third party, who happens to be a medical practitioner.” He added: “There’s a number of people I’d love to assist in dying, but they’d object.”

The start of the debate, which is being watched around the world, was more sober.

St Pier said: “We have medicalised the dying process. Very few of us will experience a natural death. Most of us will have a managed death. In most cases there will be a point in which healthcare providers will make key decisions on our behalf with or without prior input from our families or ourselves. One of those decisions may have an impact on the time of our deaths.”

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He added: “It is often said that this is an immensely complex moral, ethical and legal issue. But at its heart is a very simple principle – that of autonomy and the right to self-determination.”

St Pier said laws around divorce, same-sex marriage and contraception had given people more right to self-determination. Each change had been resisted and branded a “slippery slope”.



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“Increased rights of autonomy and self-determination is self evidently the right thing to do even if we disagree with the choices made and never choose to exercise those rights ourselves. So it is with assisted dying.”

If euthanasia is made legal in Guernsey, the move is likely to reignite the debate in the UK, three years after Westminster MPs decisively rejected a bill that would have allowed doctors to help terminally-ill people end their lives.

Similar legislation to that in Oregon has been passed in six other US states, as well as in Canada and the Australian state of Victoria. New Zealand is also considering legislation. The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg have more permissive laws, based on applicants’ suffering but not requiring a terminal diagnosis.

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If the law is passed, there would be a report and further votes before assisted dying became legal, with the process probably taking at least three years, according to St Pier. Any law would need privy council approval and, possibly, legislative change in Westminster to avoid medical professionals practising in Guernsey being prosecuted under UK law.

Opposition to the proposal has been led by churches, the British Medical Association and the Guernsey Disabilities Alliance.

In his speech to parliament St Pier also mentioned the case of Noel Conway, from Shrewsbury, who has motor neurone disease and has been fighting in the UK for the right to enlist help from doctors to bring about a “peaceful and dignified” death.

Care for Life Guernsey, rebutted St Pier’s arguments from outside the chamber in a string of tweets. It said the most important issue was that assisted suicide would hurt those whose physical or mental condition leaves them the least autonomous. The group said: “Even if ... public opinion is in favour of assisted suicide, a lot of people have historically been in favour of death penalty too, at least for extreme violence. This is never argument for legalisation.”

During the debate, deputy Jane Stephens called assisted dying “a most extreme measure”. She said: “I would far rather our island be celebrated for the excellent palliative care than the provider of assisted dying, assisted suicide or euthanasia. There are no safeguards that I can think of that are safe enough.”

Supporting assisted dying, deputy Rhian Tooley spoke about her own mother’s plight. “She does not cling to life, it has snagged her,” she said. “It is not death which is undignified, but living after what you love in life is stripped away.”

The debate continues on Thursday.