Assisted dying bill PASSES making it one step closer to being legal – with Keir among 330 MPs who voted in favour
MPs have backed plans to legalise assisted dying despite fears it could create a “state suicide service.”
The proposed law cleared its first parliamentary hurdle after MPs voted 330 to 275, majority 55, to approve it at second reading.
The Prime Minister, who had stayed silent on his views ahead of the free vote, backed the legislation.
But his Cabinet was deeply split on the issue – with Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner, David Lammy, Shabana Mahmood, Bridget Phillipson, Jonathan Reynolds, Annaliese Dodds and Darren Jones voting against.
Supporters argue the proposals, which apply to terminally ill adults with less than six months to live, will give people greater control at the end of their live
The landmark vote came after hours of emotional exchanges, with more than 160 MPs vying to speak on the controversial issue.
Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who introduced the Bill, argued it was time to tackle the difficult subject of end-of-life care, calling the debate “long overdue.”
She described the Assisted Dying Bill as a compassionate choice for those facing unbearable suffering, insisting it offers a holistic approach alongside palliative care.
She said: “This Bill will give society a much better approach towards end of life.
Meanwhile, opposition to the Bill was fierce.
Conservative MP Danny Kruger, a leading voice against the legislation, warned Parliament was on the brink of abandoning its role as protector of the vulnerable.
He urged MPs not to cast a vote “for despair”, arguing the debate should be the beginning of a conversation “about dying well in which we have a better idea than a state suicide service”.
All the hurdles you’ll have to go through to end your life if assisted dying law changes
YOU will have to go through a number of hurdles to end your life if the UK's assisted dying law changes.
Assisted suicide is currently banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – carrying a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
But a new bill drawn up by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater would let terminally ill people end their lives early.
Here are all the hurdles which Leadbeater said will be the “strictest safeguards anywhere in the world” if the bill passes.
Who can apply?
Only terminally ill people with less than six months left to live will be able to undergo assisted suicide.
Patients will also have to be over the age of 18 if Leadbeater’s bill becomes law.
The paperwork
Brits who want to end their lives early must show have the mental capacity to make a choice about ending their life.
They must also be deemed to have expressed a clear, settled and informed wish, free from coercion or pressure.
If the patient can prove this, they will then have to make two separate declarations, witnessed and signed, saying they want to die.
Approval from doctors
Two doctors must be independently satisfied a person is eligible for assisted dying.
The medics must do their assessments at least seven days apart.
If both doctors approve the request separately, the patient can then apply to the High Court.
‘Reflection period’
There must be a 14-day “reflection period” if the High Court decides the patient can undergo assisted dying.
If the two doctors are still satisfied once the period has been completed, the patients will be prescribed lethal drugs.
Mr Kruger is at odds with his mother, Great British Bake Off judge Dame Prue Leith, on the issue of assisted dying.
Dame Prue has been vocal in her support for a new law, appealing earlier this year for “less pearl-clutching” on the issue.
Labour’s Diane Abbott echoed his concerns, highlighting the UK’s inadequate funding for palliative care and warning the legislation could push dying patients into feeling like a burden on their families.
The Mother of the House told the Commons: “If this Bill passes, we will have the NHS as a fully-funded 100% suicide service but palliative care will only be funded at 30% at best.”
Ms Abbott suggested she could see herself “in particular circumstances” feeling she does not want to be a burden on others, as she spoke about wider concerns on how dying people might feel should assisted dying be legalised.
The debate also saw deeply personal contributions from MPs.
Tory former minister Andrew Mitchell revealed he had changed his stance on the issue after hearing heart-wrenching stories from constituents about loved ones dying in agony.
He said he had found himself with “tears pouring down my face” having listened to constituents “who have set out so clearly speaking with such emotion about how their mother, brother, father or child has died in great pain and great indignity”.
Outside Parliament, campaigners from both sides gathered.
The Bill will now proceed to committee stage, where MPs can propose amendments.
Any changes to the law are unlikely to come into force before 2026, but the vote marks a significant shift in the UK’s approach to assisted dying.
What is in the new assisted dying Bill MPs are considering?
MPs debated a groundbreaking new Bill that could legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales.
Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would allow those with less than six months to live to make the choice to end their life.
To qualify, individuals must have been residents in England and Wales for at least a year, registered with a GP, and have the mental capacity to make a voluntary, informed decision free from coercion.
The proposed process includes making two separate declarations, both signed and witnessed, with eligibility confirmed by two independent doctors.
A High Court judge would also assess each case, considering input from doctors, the individual, and others as necessary.
Patients would then have at least 14 days to reflect on their decision, though this could be reduced to 48 hours for those nearing death.
Strict safeguards are included to prevent abuse, with up to 14 years in prison for anyone found pressuring or misleading a person into seeking assisted dying. Participation by doctors is voluntary, and only the patient can administer the medication, potentially through a device like a button.
Ms. Leadbeater expects the service to take at least two years to implement if the Bill becomes law. Evidence from countries with similar laws suggests only a small number of deaths—between 0.5% and 3%—would be assisted each year. The Bill also mandates scrutiny, with regular reporting by the Health Secretary and Chief Medical Officers to ensure proper oversight.
If MPs vote to approve the Bill, it will proceed to committee stage for detailed examination and potential amendments. However, time constraints during Friday sittings could delay progress, and the Bill faces opposition, with some MPs tabling an amendment to block it entirely. Whether the Bill advances will depend on the outcome of Friday’s vote.