Commons Rejects Assisted Dying Bill

The House of Commons rejected the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill by 286 votes to 270, defeating a proposal that would have allowed terminally ill adults in England and Wales with fewer than six months to live to seek an assisted death with approval from two doctors and an expert panel. The bill, reintroduced by Labour MP Lauren Edwards, had previously passed the Commons but was blocked in the House of Lords after extensive amendments, and the latest defeat makes enactment before the next general election highly unlikely. Supporters argued the measure would provide dignity and choice, while opponents cited concerns about safeguards, the quality of palliative and social care, and the rushed handling of the legislation. Prime Minister Andy Burnham maintained a neutral position and argued that social care and end-of-life services should be improved first. The vote followed an emotional debate that highlighted broadcaster Esther Rantzen’s account of becoming too physically fragile to travel to Switzerland for an assisted death, while some MPs warned against using the Parliament Act to override the Lords in any future attempt.