A colossal social change that is now likely to become law

Take a step back, and it has been quite a few days.

This has been a week at Westminster that has seen two decisions that point to a socially liberal shift.

Just a few days ago, MPs voted to change abortion legislation to stop women in England and Wales being prosecuted for ending their pregnancy.

And now, the Commons has backed a change in the law in England and Wales to allow assisted dying, or, as some opponents call it, assisted suicide.

This vote doesn’t guarantee this will happen – it will head next to the House of Lords – but it is now more likely than ever and widely expected to become law.

But even as and when it does reach the Statute Book and become law, it will likely be near the end of the decade before any assisted deaths happen.

The government said there would need to be a…