Tynwald should look again at the issue of assisted dying.

This is the view of some MHKs, following a proposal by a group of politicians in Guernsey for the Crown Dependency to become the first place in the British Isles to legalise the practice.

Guernsey’s parliament will be asked to vote in May on a proposal to develop a legal regime to permit assisted dying.

The possibility of legalising euthanasia in the Isle of Man has been considered by Tynwald in the past.

Most recently in 2015, Speaker Juan Watterson sought leave in the House of Keys to introduce a private member’s bill while he was Home Affairs Minister, saying those who are terminally ill should have a choice over how they die. It followed a petition for redress of grievance by Millie Blenkinsop-French, a pensioner who had suffered two strokes.

MHKs rejected giving leave to introduce the bill by 17 votes to five.

The Manx Independent asked Mr Watterson (Rushen) for his thoughts about Guernsey’s plans and whether he thinks the island should look at changing the law.

’If I wasn’t speaker, I would have another go at [introducing a bill],’ he said. ’The changes we have seen in the abortion law shows a significant shift in views in the House of Keys.

’Organ donation, abortion, we’re talking about new era of personal autonomy.

’I do not know what Guernsey is proposing in detail, but people with a terminal illness should be allowed a certain autonomy over their life.’

His previous proposal followed that of Lord Falconer, who called for a more ’humane’ way of dying in the UK as the chairman of the Commission of Assisted Dying.

Mr Watterson stressed at the time the bill would not legalise voluntary euthanasia where a doctor directly administers life-ending medication.

Instead, the final act in an assisted death had to be taken by a patient of sound mind at the time of the request and at the time of their death.

Dr Alex Allinson MHK (Ramsey), mover of the Abortion Reform Bill, said: ’There has recently been a debate in the British Medical Journal about the medical profession’s views on assisted dying.

’As with many other social issues I think public opinion is changing to value personal autonomy. While there are no current plans to change the law on the island I do think during this administration Tynwald will need to consider this subject again and have a full consultation to represent the views of the medical professions, hospice movement and public.’

He added: ’This isn’t a subject I have been approached about but there is still a lot of interest about the subject.’