Assisted suicide is back in the news: Britain's Royal College of Physicians has decided to survey its membership on the question. But this time there's a catch.

The last time the RCP consulted its members, in 2014, the majority of doctors said that they opposed an "assisted dying" law (as it is euphemistically called). But this time, the RCP has decided to declare itself "neutral" on the question - unless a supermajority of 60 per cent is opposed. (Tellingly, the threshold was originally two-thirds but was hurriedly reduced.)