As the flaws and unworkability in the assisted suicide Bill came under scrutiny during Report Stage of the Bill today, two more MPs joined a number of MPs who announced earlier in the week that they will be switching their vote to oppose the Bill at Third Reading having either supported or abstained on it at Second Reading.
Earlier today, MPs debated amendments during Report Stage of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which intends to make state assistance in suicide legal for people thought to have less than six months left to live.
A large number of MPs gave strong speeches highlighting the serious problems with the Bill.
Today’s debate was very different from when the entire House of Commons last debated the Bill at Second Reading in November. Kim Leadbeater and supporters of the Bill were very much on the back foot and those MPs opposing the Bill were strongly on the offensive.
MPs turning against the assisted suicide Bill
During the debate, it was revealed that two MPs who either voted for the Bill or abstained at Second Reading would now be voting against the Bill.
Shortly before the debate came to a close, Jonathan Hinder MP announced on X that, while he had voted in favour of the assisted suicide Bill at Second Reading, his “concerns have only deepened” over the course of Commitee Stage and that he would now be voting against the Bill. He specifically mentioned the removal of the High Court judge safeguard as one of his reasons for turning against the Bill and the fact that, under the Bill, doctors are permitted the raise the option of assisted suicide with a patient unprompted.
Labour MP for Crawley, Peter Lamb, who abstained from voting during the vote at Second Reading, said “I do not believe that the case has been made for a change in the law, and I therefore believe I am obligated to oppose the passage of the bill through the remaining stages of the process”. Like many other MPs over the course of the day, Lamb cited the need to invest in palliative care as his most significant concern and also lack of parliamentary time available for consideration of the Bill.
Several other MPs have also announced this week that they are going to be changing their vote to oppose the Bill.
These MPs have joined Reform’s Lee Anderson and former colleague Rupert Lowe, who publicly announced in February they would be changing their vote to oppose the Bill.
Controversy as Bill sponsor leaves the debate
Simon Hoare MP drew attention to the fact that the Bill sponsor, Kim Leadbeater, appeared to have left the debate during a key stage of the Bill. Hoare suggested Leadbeater’s absence was “a discourtesy to the House” as she appeared not to be present for about 45 minutes.
Tom Gordon MP spoke in favour of his amendment to “extend the eligibility period for those with neurodegenerative conditions, from six months to 12 months”
Right To Life UK spokesperson, Catherine Robinson, said “Today’s debate was very different from when the entire House of Commons last debated the Bill at Second Reading in November. Kim Leadbeater and supporters of the Bill were very much on the back foot and those MPs opposing the Bill were strongly on the offensive”.
“This shift in momentum is thanks to the enormous amount of work done by people across the country over the past seven months”.
“The tide has very much turned on this dangerous Bill”.
“There’s still a lot of work to do between now and Third Reading, but we are now firmly on track – and we can win this”.
