Hundreds have been stood outside of the Tynwald building ahead of the second reading of the Assisted dying Bill. 

Some protested with bins that said ‘Bin the Bill’ and others had slogans that said ‘I deserve the right to choose dignity’. 

Friends, Sabrina Callow and Tony Black who attended were in support of the bill.  

Sabrina said: ‘I think that the right for choice is the right we are all born with. 

‘Experience with end of life is a brutal thing to have to behold, and if you actually love someone the medication that people are actually given at the end of life completely changes who they are, so you can’t even have conversations with them anymore. 

Tony who has experience with end of life, said: ‘By the end it is not about quality of life anymore for those last few weeks or even months, it is just not fair.  

‘I witnessed it firsthand and it was way too close to me to ignore it.  

‘I would summarise it as my sign says “A choice for me is not a rule for you”. 

‘It is an extra option to help many people who suffer a great deal.’ 

But Stella Harris, who is a Doctor in the island said: ‘I am really concerned to protect the vulnerable people of the Isle of Man.  

‘I can understand people campaigning in favour of assisted dying who have had difficult experiences where they have had relatives who have suffered.  

‘But I don’t think this bill is the answer, I don’t think this bill is going to stop the suffering, we need to have better care for them, we need more funding to look after people better. 

‘We have got a real recruitment and retention problem already on the Isle of Man.  

‘A recent survey found that 74% are against assisted dying, and a third of doctors said thay would consider leaving the Isle of Man if the bill was approved. 

‘If we lose any doctors, it will be an absolute crisis because recruitment is incredibly difficult and doctors are very concerned.’