Sadiq Khan faces backlash over assisted dying ads on the Underground
- Pro-assisted dying advertisements launched by Dignity in Dying appear on the London Underground.
- The ads target MPs as they prepare to debate the assisted dying Bill on November 29.
- The controversial ads have prompted significant backlash and criticism regarding their suitability for public transport.
In the United Kingdom, Sadiq Khan's Transport for London has come under fire due to the appearance of pro-assisted dying campaign advertisements on the London Underground. These ads, which are part of a campaign by the group Dignity in Dying, aim to influence MPs ahead of the debate on Kim Leadbeater's assisted dying Bill scheduled for November 29, 2024. The ads, featuring messages like "my dying wish", have stirred significant controversy, particularly due to their placement in an environment where suicide is a somber reality. Critics, including conservative author Adrian Hilton, have expressed outrage, questioning the appropriateness of such ads in public transportation. Furthermore, Transport for London's own guidelines prohibit advertising for sensitive public issues, yet the ads were approved in this instance, possibly due to the Bill's non-party-political nature. Sadiq Khan's office has distanced the Mayor from the decision, reinforcing that he did not oversee the approval of these controversial ads.