Appeal rejected by Supreme Court

The right to die campaign led by a paralysed former builder from Leeds has been rejected by the Supreme Court.

Paul Lamb brought the case to the court with the widow of a man who had locked in syndrome.

It was defeated by a seven-two majority.

Mr Lamb and Mrs Nicklinson, whose husband Tony died nearly two years ago, had asked the court to rule that disabled people should have the right to be helped to die with dignity.

Their ruling was delivered today after a hearing in December.

Nine justices had been asked to decide whether a prohibition on assisted suicide - outlined in the 1961 Suicide Act - was compatible with the right to respect for private and family life enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights.

Five of the nine justices concluded that the court had the "constitutional authority" to declare that a general prohibition on assisted suicide was incompatible with the human right to private and family life.

And two of those five said they would have made such a declaration.

Four justices said MPs were better placed to make such a compatibility assessment.