A man who is terminally ill with motor neurone disease has been given permission to challenge the law on assisted dying.
Retired college lecturer Noel Conway took his case to the Court of Appeal after he was refused permission to bring a judicial review over the blanket ban on providing a person with assistance to die.
Last month a panel of High Court judges rejected his bid to change the law, saying it would be “institutionally inappropriate” for the court to challenge the decision of Parliament.
MPs debated changing the law in September 2015 but the proposals were voted down by a 212 majority.
Mr Conway said: “I am delighted that my case will now proceed to the next stage. Clearly the Court of Appeal has agreed that this is an issue deserving full and proper consideration and I look forward to a full hearing at the High Court.
“Having overcome this initial setback in my fight for choice at the end of life, I am more determined than ever to continue.
“I have the support of my loved ones and many thousands of others behind me; people who have donated over £90,000 towards my legal costs and sent heart-warming messages of encouragement to me and my family.”
In the judgment Lord Justice Beatson said that the case covers different territory to a previous assisted dying case brought by the family of stroke sufferer Tony Nicklinson, which failed in 2014.
He also said that the case contained new and different evidence which might lead the court to come to a different conclusion.
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