The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is set for its Second Reading in the House of Commons this Friday, marking another attempt to pass legislation allowing assisted death for terminally ill adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live. The bill, reintroduced by Labour's Lauren Edwards, previously failed in the House of Lords due to time constraints and accusations of filibustering.
Opponents within Parliament have raised significant objections, branding the legislation as "unsafe and unworkable." Labour MP Ashley Dalton, who has terminal cancer, expressed concerns that the existence of an assisted dying option could lead to coercion or individuals feeling compelled to end their lives out of fear of being a burden. Dalton stated that the bill's sponsors are pushing flawed legislation without amendments to potentially bypass the House of Lords using the Parliament Acts.
Fellow Labour MP Jess Asato contested Edwards's assertion that a small minority of peers blocked the bill. Asato cited that over 60 peers laid amendments, with more than 90 signing them and over 140 speaking in the debate. She noted that the bill's sponsor in the Lords rejected nearly all amendments, including those suggested by medical and legal organizations. Asato warned against allowing the bill to pass through the Commons unamended, which could enable the Parliament Acts to override the Lords' scrutiny, potentially endangering vulnerable individuals.
Edwards, however, maintained that assisted dying has long enjoyed substantial public support and that MPs previously voted in favor of the bill. She argued that the bill was blocked in the House of Lords by a minority of peers and expressed the intention to ask MPs to send the bill back to the Lords for amendment. Edwards stated that while amendments are acceptable, the Lords should not frustrate the will of the elected chamber a second time.
The bill previously passed its Third Reading in the Commons last June by a margin of 23 votes. However, two MPs who supported it, former Prime Minister Keir Starmer and former Makerfield MP Josh Simons, have since left Parliament. New Prime Minister Andy Burnham has indicated his opposition to reviving the bill, prioritizing reforms to palliative and social care funding before engaging in broader debates on assisted dying.