from Christian Concern
Darius Sandhu explains why the return of the assisted suicide bill should alarm MPs, peers, and everyone concerned for vulnerable people
Just when we thought we had seen the death of the assisted suicide bill, Lauren Edwards, MP for Rochester and Strood, finished second in the private members’ bill ballot and on 17 June, decided to bring it back.
The bill that has been brought back is identical to the one proposed by Kim Leadbeater MP in the last Parliamentary session. So why has Lauren Edwards decided to bring it back in the same form?
Well, one reason may be that it keeps alive the possibility of using the Parliament Act.
What is the Parliament Act and why does it matter?
This act, passed over 100 years ago, allows a bill that has been passed by the House of Commons twice in two consecutive sessions, but been rejected by the House of Lords, to bypass the House of Lords on the second occasion and become law with little to no scrutiny.
This act has only been used seven times and has never been used for a private members’ bill, setting a new precedent if the worst was to happen.
Therefore, the vote on 11 September risks allowing this poorly drafted bill to become law without any scrutiny from the upper chamber.