'This is all about choice': Calls to revisit assisted dying debate in Guernsey
A Guernsey woman is calling for the island to revisit the topic of legalising assisted dying following recent legislation across the British Isles
Julie's husband - Guy - was terminally ill and chose to end his life legally in Spain two years ago.
She now wants politicians to debate the topic again - after a previous proposition failed six years ago.
Julie explains: "It should be debated again here in Guernsey, and it would make my day if it did go through."
It comes as UK MPs voted in favour of a bill that would legalise assisted dying for people who are terminally ill in England and Wales on Friday 29 November.
They follow Jersey who voted to allow people who have a terminal illness to end their lives with the help of medical professionals on Wednesday 22 May.
In 2018, States of Guernsey members rejected Deputy Gavin St Pier's proposition - then Chief Minister - to legalise assisted dying.
It would have made Guernsey the first place in the British Isles to do so.
And now, Deputy St Pier has voiced his interest in requesting a new requête in 2025.
Julie says that Guy had an asbestos-related cancer when he decided to seek to end his life legally.
She explains: "There wasn't anything that they could do operation-wise [...] he was literally given three months to live.
"He said 'Come sit with me a minute. I'm going to ask you two things. One is, please don't talk me out of it this time, and the second one is be strong.'
"And I was the strongest person on Earth.
"This is all about choice - his choice. To him, it was everything."
Deputy Carl Meerveld voted against the 2018 assisted dying proposition but would like to see the topic debated again.
He explains: "I've said publically as an individual if I were facing that terrible situation, I would want to have the choice.
"But as a representative of the people, we have to then think about the unintended consequences of implementing that, the cost and difficulty of implementing it, and how you maintain it."
Deputy Gavin St Pier has made no secret of the fact that he intends to bring back debate on assisted dying.
It's expected that this will come early next year via a requête.
It would mean that a decision will be made on this issue before the end of this political term, just months before a new group of deputies take office.
After 2018's defeat, Guernsey was always going to end up following other jurisdictions. The UK and Jersey have made their stance clear, as has the Isle of Man.
The jurisdictions we are always compared to have moved on.
Despite well-worn arguments about safeguards and the size of our jurisdiction being aired, it would be incredibly strange for Guernsey to not follow suit.
But then again, Guernsey has struggled with difficult decisions this term. Nothing would surprise me.