How cute puppies and silk pajamas are used to sell assisted dying in Britain

In todays Britain Transport for London somehow became a moral compass while ancient religions got pushed aside as trouble-makers. The company which runs underground trains now decides whats right or wrong in public debates

This winter Westminster tube station got filled with Dignity in Dying ads showing a happy-go-lucky lady dancing round her kitchen (wearing fancy silk pjs) - making death-by-choice look like some fun girls night out. Meanwhile TfL earlier this year made a comedian take down his hotdog picture cause it didnt fit their health rules: so hotdogs are bad but promoting end-of-life choices is cool

The ads use a super-sweet tone thats becoming common in Britainʼs public messaging. Its like theyʼre saying: “dont think too hard about complex stuff - hereʼs something cute instead“. During covid-19 times we saw similar tactics: mixing feel-good stories with scary warnings

Kim Leadbeater who sponsors the assisted dying bill wants MPs to step back and let people with personal stories lead the debate. Jess Phillips made an odd point saying that even though NHS isnt working well we cant stop progress; while David Gauke compared it to gay marriage rights (which is quite different - extending old traditions vs making new rules)

• Legal experts raise hard questions
• Care specialists point out risks
• Religious groups share ethical concerns
• Well-funded lobby groups push forward

The supporters of assisted dying skip over these complex issues using sweet simple messages. They know many MPs dont have time to read expert opinions; but will respond to heart-touching letters from voters about sick relatives. Its turning serious debates into something as basic as picking what to watch on tv