MPs in the House of Commons have rejected a new bid to legalize assisted dying in England and Wales. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was defeated at its Second Reading by a vote of 286 to 270, with a majority of 16.
The debate, which lasted over four hours, saw speeches both for and against the legislation. The bill aimed to allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales with fewer than six months to live to apply for an assisted death. This marks the second time in the recent parliamentary session that a similar bill has failed, although the previous iteration passed two votes in the Commons before falling in the Lords.
Some MPs who had previously supported the bill changed their votes to oppose it this time. Labour former minister Janet Daby explained her shift, stating she had experienced "nightmares about dying and death" after voting in favor last year and could no longer support the bill in good conscience.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage abstained from the vote. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey both voted against the bill.
Campaigners supporting the bill's defeat celebrated the outcome, with some suggesting the issue of assisted dying has been settled for a generation. The bill had been reintroduced by Labour MP Lauren Edwards, who took over sponsorship from Kim Leadbeater. Edwards urged MPs to send the bill back to the Lords for further scrutiny.
Critics, however, described the bill as "flawed" and "unsafe," arguing against its return to the Lords without amendments. Opposition to the legislation was also voiced by religious leaders, including Archbishop Richard Moth of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally of the Church of England, who deemed the bill "wrong in principle."
Medical organizations, such as the Royal College of Psychiatrists, had also expressed "serious concerns," particularly regarding the safeguarding of individuals with mental illness and the sufficiency of unanswered questions surrounding the bill. Kemi Badenoch cautioned against attempting to "ram" through what she described as "badly drafted" legislation.