Despite a very big backlash from a large number of MPs, Lauren Edwards MP has gone ahead with bringing back Kim Leadbeater’s assisted suicide Bill. She formally presented it to the House of Commons today.
Lauren Edwards also confirmed that the Bill’s Second Reading will take place on Friday 11 September.
It’s now going to be vital that the Bill is defeated at Second Reading.
This means that we have just over 12 weeks to ensure MPs understand why this dangerous Bill must be rejected at Second Reading.
I will be in touch more regularly over the next 12 weeks with clear, simple actions you can take to help defeat the Bill.
Today, I simply wanted to explain where we are, why this will be a serious fight, and why the Bill can be defeated on 11 September.
This is just an update. As you emailed your MP earlier this week, there is no action for you to take today.
WHY THE MOMENTUM IS ON OUR SIDE THIS TIME
It is going to be much more difficult for the assisted suicide lobby to gain traction and win this vote compared to the last time they brought forward the original Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill almost two years ago.
The assisted suicide lobby has now lost the last two major battles it has fought.
In March, the McArthur assisted suicide Bill was defeated in Scotland.
Then, after passing the Commons last year, the Leadbeater Bill failed to become law after it ran into serious opposition in the House of Lords. Peers raised a large number of concerns about the Bill, and it did not complete its passage before the end of the parliamentary session, so failed to become law.
Only 12 MPs need to change their minds for the Bill to be defeated.
Already, seven MPs from Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats who had backed the Bill at Third Reading last time have said they do not support bringing back the Bill in this new Parliamentary session or taking the route that the assisted suicide lobby has made clear they are going to take with this Bill – forcing it into law via the Parliament Acts.
They have been joined by other MPs who have raised serious doubts about using the Parliament Acts for a Bill like this.
These MPs are likely to be the tip of the iceberg and represent views shared by many other MPs.
Recent polling of the general public also shows there is no public mandate in any constituency in Great Britain for reviving the failed Bill.
An MRP poll conducted by Whitestone Insight of over 10,000 people, the largest public poll conducted on assisted suicide since the Leadbeater assisted dying Bill was introduced in October 2024, has shown that there is no mandate from the public to revive Kim Leadbeater’s failed assisted suicide Bill and circumvent the House of Lords to push it into law.
Even Peter Bedford, a co-sponsor of the revived Bill introduced today, told a constituent only three weeks ago that he “does not think it will succeed if brought back as a Private Members’ Bill again during this parliamentary session”.
The Times leader article today similarly described hopes of success for a new Bill as “highly unlikely” and “delusional”, describing the Bill as “shoddy” and “riddled with defects”.
So we should be encouraged. But we are not there yet.
WE CANNOT BE COMPLACENT
The assisted suicide lobby is very upset that the Bill did not become law last time. They will be working hard over the next 12 weeks to try to force it through.
We should expect a very well-funded and very determined campaign from our opposition.
So this is going to be a big battle.
But it is a battle we can win.
Over the next 12 weeks, we are going to be mounting a very large nationwide campaign across mainstream media outlets, online across all major social media platforms, in communities around the country, and in Parliament, all laser-focused on defeating this dangerous Bill on 11 September.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The key date is Friday 11 September.
Between now and then, I will keep you updated as the campaign progresses. At the right moments, I will ask you to take action so your MP hears clearly from you and from other constituents.
That may mean writing or visiting your MP. It may mean sharing important updates with friends and family. It may mean helping make sure other people in your constituency know what is happening.
We will make each step as simple and clear as possible.
Thank you so much for everything you have already done.
The work that supporters like you have put in over the last two years has made a real difference. MPs are in a very different place now to where they were when the Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill was first introduced almost two years ago.
There is a lot of work ahead, but we should be encouraged.
The assisted suicide lobby has lost its last two major battles. The Bill faces a much harder path this time.
This dangerous Bill can be defeated at Second Reading on 11 September.
Thank you again for your support – I will be in touch again soon.