from Religion Media Centre
MPs vote today on the Assisted Dying Bill at the third reading, after a debate which starts at 9.30 am. When the Bill came before the House in November last year, at the second reading, it passed by 55 votes – 330: 275. Since then it has gone through intense scrutiny during 90 hours of deliberation in the committee stage, with more than 600 amendments tabled and discussed. Around one-third of these amendments were agreed upon, with key changes like replacing High Court approval with expert panels, establishing a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commissioner, extending the implementation timeline to four years, and strengthening doctor training and independent advocacy. The bill, introduced by Kim Leadbeater MP, allows people with six months left to live, to request an assisted death.
Many MPs have changed their mind and will now vote against the bill, with the Telegraph reporting that the vote is on a knife edge, as Labour MPs “turn on Assisted Dying Bill”. At 8pm last night, political commentator “Guido Fawkes” calculated that “154 MPs are planning to vote for it, 144 plan to vote against it, 22 remain undecided and 21 are due to abstain”. He says 16 MPs have declared they will now vote against, but it needs 28 MPs to change their vote if the bill is to be defeated. He says: “Guido has been shown modelling suggesting it will likely be within 10 votes either way, with many expected to make up their minds during the debate. It will come down to which MPs decide to abstain, and which side gets their vote out”. Nick Watts on BBC Newsnight said only four MPs have switched sides to vote against. Emily Thornberry MP said she has switched and will vote for.
Lawyers have suggested that there are so many amendments remaining, there is a risk that the parliamentary session may end before the Bill is able to progress further, as was the case in 2021. 50 Labour MPs have written to the Leader of the House, Lucy Powell, asking for the final vote to be postponed allowing more time to discuss and scrutinise the bill.