Parliament debates fierce amendments to assisted dying bill ahead of razor-thin final vote
Britain’s long-running debate on assisted dying reached fever pitch on Friday as MPs approved key amendments to protect under-18s and ban advertising, ahead of a final vote that could legalise assisted deaths for terminally ill adults in England and Wales.
Parliament voted to prevent healthcare professionals from raising assisted dying as an option with patients under 18. Advertising for the service would also be banned under amendments passed in the Commons. The votes came as part of ongoing deliberations over the controversial bill, which has divided opinion across parties and the public.
The proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults, given less than six months to live, to seek an assisted death. Applications would require sign-off from two doctors and a multidisciplinary panel including a social worker, a senior legal figure, and psychiatrist.
MP Meg Hillier, a Labour opponent of the bill, tabled the successful amendment shielding minors from conversations about assisted dying. However, her second proposal — which sought to bar health workers from raising the option with adult patients unless initiated by them — was narrowly rejected.
The debate saw deeply emotional interventions from both sides. Labour MP Rupa Huq warned the cost of living crisis could pressure vulnerable individuals into ending their lives prematurely. “BAME communities have lower disposable incomes. You can just imagine relatives in a housing crisis wanting to speed up grandad’s probate to get a foot on the ladder,” she said, raising fears of financial exploitation.
In stark contrast, Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden shared her late husband’s agonising death from oesophageal cancer to highlight the suffering the bill seeks to end. “This is about helping people die in a civilised way and helping families avoid watching a loved one die in agony,” she told MPs, calling for more compassionate language after some described assisted dying as “murder.”
Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP sponsoring the bill, stressed it was not a choice between palliative care and assisted dying. “Both can work side by side to give terminally ill patients the care and choice they deserve in their final days,” she said as she opened the debate.
Another amendment by Labour’s Paul Waugh aimed to introduce tighter advertising restrictions but was voted down. Waugh expressed hope that MPs would ultimately reject the bill altogether, calling it “not fit for purpose.”
Tensions continue to mount as the bill heads towards its decisive vote on 20 June. Since passing its initial stage by 55 votes in November, support has wavered. Over a dozen MPs have reportedly switched to opposing the bill, while a handful have moved to back it, leaving the outcome hanging in the balance.
Several other amendments were also approved, including provisions to remove the requirement for assisted deaths to be automatically referred to a coroner, and measures to regulate substances used in assisted dying. Demonstrators on both sides of the issue gathered outside Parliament as debates unfolded.
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock revealed that Parliament has already spent over 90 hours scrutinising the proposals, with more than 500 amendments debated during committee stages. MPs will have a free vote on the final bill, allowing them to vote according to personal conscience rather than party lines. The government remains officially neutral.
As the final vote approaches, campaigners and opponents alike brace for a landmark decision that could transform end-of-life care and spark one of the most significant changes in British medical ethics in decades.
BBC
MPs voted to ban doctors from initiating discussions about assisted dying with under-18s, during further debate on the Terminally Ill Adults Bill. The bill, proposed by Kim Leadbeater, allows assisted dying only for adults with less than six months to live. Labour’s Meg Hillier tabled the successful amendment, citing risks of the law expanding to include minors. The vote marks Leadbeater’s first Commons defeat on the bill. Another amendment, to stop doctors raising the topic with any patient, was narrowly rejected. MPs agreed on banning advertising of assisted dying, though debated how tightly it should be controlled. An amendment to prevent automatic coroner investigations for assisted deaths passed, despite concerns about oversight. Some MPs voiced frustration at the lengthy process, accusing others of deliberately delaying votes. The bill, first approved in November, faces a crucial debate on 20 June to determine if it proceeds to the House of Lords.
ITV X
Kim Leadbeater’s Assisted Dying Bill faces a knife-edge final vote in the Commons on 20 June. The bill, allowing terminally ill adults in England and Wales with under six months to live to apply for assisted death, has seen numerous amendments during months of debate. MPs have approved clauses banning doctors from raising the topic with under-18s, prohibiting advertising, and exempting assisted deaths from automatic coroner referral. An amendment requiring a review of palliative care one year after enactment will be voted on next week. ITV News’ vote tracker shows 124 MPs plan to support the bill, 116 oppose, 17 remain undecided, and 19 intend to abstain, with dozens of MPs having switched positions since November’s first vote. If passed, the bill moves to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. Leadbeater estimates it would take at least two more years before assisted dying becomes available, even if all legislative stages are cleared.
