MPs narrowly vote to progress assisted dying bill after emotional debate

Significantly, the bill committee which will be chaired by Ms Leadbeater was given powers to call witnesses and experts to give evidence as the wording is fine tuned.

In its current form, the bill allows terminally ill people aged 18 and over who have been told by a doctor they have six months or fewer to live to begin the process.

They would then need the approval from two independent doctors and a judge, before the person self-administered drugs to end their own life.

Encouraging or assisting suicide is currently against the law in England and Wales, with a maximum jail sentence of 14 years.

The bill received a free vote, meaning MPs were not whipped by their parties and could vote with their conscience.

The Prime Minister did not reveal how he planned to vote in advance, in keeping with his aim of Government neutrality, but did eventually vote in favour.

This was expected, given a speech he made in 2015 having just been elected during the last vote on the issue.

Former prime minister Rishi Sunak voted against, as did Tory party leader Kemi Badenoch.

One of the key themes of the debate was the significant problems with palliative care provision and the lack of funding for hospices, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting being urged to make rapid improvements.

Speaking after the result was announced, Ms Leadbeater said she was “A bit overwhelmed, it’s been a really emotional day on top of an emotional couple of months, and I never even wanted to be an MP.

“But we’ve shown Parliament in its best light today, with a very respectful and a very compassionate debate, irrespective of the different views people hold.

“We take the bill to the next stage now, we continue the process, and it will be a very thorough process, but we also have to champion all the issues that have been talked about today, whether that’s palliative care, the rights of disabled people, the NHS, all these things are important.

“I’ve had hundreds of meetings on this issue in the last couple of months and I will continue to do that.

“I want to hear from everybody, I believe the Bill is in a very good place, but if there are things that need to change let’s have that conversation.

She said the personal stories from campaigners for the change had “carried me” in the last few months.

“It’s very emotional, but it’s emotional for lots of people, and I’m just glad that we’ve been able to represent those voices here today.”

Conservative MP Danny Kruger opened the debate on the side of those against the bill.

Speaking afterwards, he said: “It’s very disappointing we lost the vote, I was encouraged by the debate itself, I think it went very well and reflected well on Parliament.

“There are lots of loopholes, the safeguards aren’t very strong, they (MPs) recognise that and think we can improve that in committee. I think that’s a high-risk move but let’s see if they’re right.”

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