We just wanted to update you following day one of Report Stage for the Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill today.
Firstly, thank you to everyone who contacted their MP this week.
Ahead of the debate, several MPs announced this week that they will be changing their position on the Leadbeater Bill and will now vote against the Bill at Third Reading.
During the debate itself, two more – Peter Lamb and Jonathan Hinder – announced that they would now be opposing the Bill.
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 MPs opposing the Bill were strongly on the offensive.
This shift in momentum is thanks to the enormous amount of work done by people like you across the country over the past seven months.
The tide has very much turned on this dangerous Bill.
The Bill passed Second Reading by 55 votes. If just 28 MPs switch their stance, it will be defeated at Third Reading.
There’s still a lot of work to do between now and Third Reading, but we are firmly on track – and we can win this.
If you’d like to read more about what happened today, we live-posted video highlights during the debate on X (formerly Twitter) – you can view these videos on our X account by clicking here.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
MPs only had time today to debate a small number of the amendments tabled to the Bill. There will be a second day of Report Stage on Friday 13 June, with more debate and possible votes on amendments.
If the debate on amendments finishes that day, the final debate and vote on the Bill – Third Reading – will happen then.
However, because so many amendments remain, it’s likely Report Stage will continue on Friday 20 June, followed by the final Third Reading debate and vote on the Bill that day.
Thank you again for everything you’ve done to get us this far.
We have a lot more work to do, but this dangerous Bill can be defeated.