The Know Daily - Monday 23 June 2025

_{Read in 4m 33s ∙ Listening to George Ezra ∙}

Commuters across London got a little burst of nature with their morning journeys today, thanks to free packets of wildflower seeds being handed out at Tube stations. It’s a blooming great campaign for London Climate Action Week, a programme of events aimed at making the city – and the planet – greener 🌼

📄 The assisted dying bill

The UK has reached a big milestone in its ongoing debate over assisted dying.

What’s the proposed law?
The bill would allow adults with fewer than six months to live to request life-ending medication. They’d need approval from two independent doctors and a review panel – including a lawyer, psychiatrist, and social worker – to ensure the person is acting voluntarily and understands the decision. It wouldn’t be a quick process, and it wouldn’t apply to people with chronic conditions or disabilities not considered terminal.

What’s happened so far?
Last week, the bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons, with a vote of 314 in favour of proceeding with the bill, a majority of 23. This is the first time MPs have supported assisted dying in a full debate, and they did so without party lines. MPs were given a free vote, meaning they could decide based on personal views, not party policy. The debate itself has been widely praised for being respectful, thoughtful, and focused on real-life experiences. You can discover how your MP voted by using this tool.

What would it mean for those affected?
For people facing terminal illness, supporters say the law would offer peace of mind – knowing they have a legal and supported option. Campaigners like Dignity in Dying say it’s about giving people choice. Broadcaster Esther Rantzen, who has terminal cancer, is among those backing the bill. She’s described it as “rigorous and safe,” and says it could spare people the emotional and financial toll of seeking help abroad in places like Switzerland. Polls show strong public support – often around 70% – for assisted dying with safeguards.

What are the concerns?
Critics worry about how the law could affect vulnerable people, especially the elderly, disabled, or those who may feel pressure to end their lives. Some doctors, religious groups, and disability rights organisations argue the focus should stay on improving palliative care, not offering the option of assisted death. Health Secretary Wes Streeting expressed concerns about whether the NHS has the capacity or funding to implement such a law, suggesting MPs may have underestimated the costs and complexity involved.

What’s next?
The bill now heads to the House of Lords, where it will face detailed scrutiny. Peers could suggest amendments, raise ethical and practical questions, or even delay its progress. If the Lords approve it, implementation would take time with a possible rollout not expected until 2029, to allow for regulation and oversight systems to be developed.

💰 Money Monday: The Bank of England has held interest rates at 4.25% – what does that mean for you?

• Mortgage holders: If you're on a fixed mortgage, nothing really changes. And if you’re on a variable or tracker rate, your mortgage payments will remain the same for the time being. 

• Savers: Those with savings accounts will still get decent returns, but rates on easy-access accounts are slowly reducing. 

• What can you do? Now’s a good time to check your deal – whether it’s your savings account or a mortgage – and see if there’s a better option out there.

🗞️ Middle East latest: A lot’s unfolding in the Middle East right now – this explainer offers a debrief on the most recent updates.

🐝 Bountiful buzz: Recent warm temperatures could cause a “nectar tsunami” inside beehives, where they become saturated in the sugary solution collected from flowers, helping bees to thrive.

🪖 Security spending: NATO allies have reportedly reached an agreement to dedicate 5% of a country’s GDP to defence budgets ahead of a summit at The Hague this week.

🌳 Amazing arboretum: A baobab tree in the Eden Project’s Rainforest Biome has flowered, believed to be a first for the UK. The rare flower may even go on to produce a superfruit blend of melon and pineapple.

📺 Scholastic screenings: The French government will be showing acclaimed drama Adolescence to schoolchildren, aiming to tackle the role of social media in rising occurrences of sexism and misogyny in some young people.

🏛️ Stunning structures: This famous attraction has topped the list of the world’s most beautiful buildings. One to add to the travel wishlist?

🔗 Last week’s most clicked: The newsletter that “feeds your brain fast”, the perfect white t-shirt, and the winners of Women’s Prizes book awards.

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Trivia answer: B) Peruvian and Japanese cuisine fuse at Maido in Peru.

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