Progressive reform or slippery slope? Isle of Man leans to legalising assisted dying

Sue Biggerstaff has become one of the Isle of Man’s most vocal advocates of assisted dying since her husband, Simon, died in pain from motor neurone disease. Photograph: Supplied

For the last week of Simon Biggerstaff’s life, “pretty much all he said was ‘make it stop, I can’t stand it’,” according to his widow, Sue.

Her husband had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of motor neurone disease and was in “horrible pain”, she said. Previously a fit, active man, he was paralysed from the neck down, with a twisted bowel and barely able to speak.