Sign of the times

A petition for an immediate general election gathered 2.7 million signatures in five days.   What are the other most popular petitions on the UK parliament website this week?

— Introduce 16 as the minimum age to have social media (112,500 signed).

— Don’t change inheritance tax relief for working farms (85,600).

— Limit sale and use of fireworks to licence holders only (68,000).

— Introduce a compensation scheme for Waspi women (56,600).

— Apply for the UK to join the EU as a full member as soon as possible (50,100).

Die is cast

Who chooses assisted suicide in Canada?    — In 2022, 13,241 people ended their lives in this way, 4.1% of all deaths. This is more than in any other country where the practice is allowed (the Netherlands is next, with 9,068 deaths last year).

— The average age was 73.6. 1.3% were 18-45, 3.2% 46-55 and 10.5% 56-64.

— 56% were male and 44% female.

— In 463 cases the natural death of the individual was not ‘reasonably foreseeable’. — 560 applicants were ruled ineligible.

The main conditions suffered were:

Cancer 63%
Cardiovascular conditions 19%
Respiratory conditions 13%
Neurological conditions 13%

Source: Health Canada

Out of proportion

More than 100 MPs, including 43 newly elected Labour members, have backed a campaign to replace the first-past-the-post system with proportional representation. How different would the Commons look had PR been in place on 4 July?

PR / Actual

Labour 219 / 411
Conservative  154 / 121
Reform UK  93 / 5
Liberal Democrat  79 / 72
Green  42 / 4
SNP  16 / 9

Working knowledge

What percentage of national income has gone to the workers (as opposed to investors/speculators) by year? (According to the ONS’s preferred measure.)

1953     71%
1963     70%
1973     65%
1983     59%
1993     56%
2003     59%
2013     60%
2023     60%