More than 100 Labour Members of Parliament (MPs) have penned a letter to Keir Starmer, urging him to support the legalization of assisted dying, as critics are anticipated to obstruct its passage into law. The legislation allowing terminally ill individuals to end their lives was approved by MPs last June, but progress has been sluggish in the House of Lords, where over 1,200 amendments have been proposed. Time is running out with the Parliamentary session ending in May.
With only three days left for the Bill to complete its stages, more than 600 amendments are yet to be discussed before proceeding to the remaining parliamentary processes. Lord Falconer, the Bill’s sponsor in the House of Lords, expressed skepticism about its passage without a significant change in strategy to counter opposition tactics.
In a letter spearheaded by Labour MP Peter Prinsley, MPs highlighted concerns about a minority of peers using procedural tactics to impede the Bill’s progress in the House of Lords. They emphasized the importance of the elected House of Commons making decisions on such matters, citing strong public support for a change in the law regarding assisted dying.
Lord Falconer previously suggested invoking the Parliament Act of 1911 to ensure timely debates, which grants supremacy to the elected Commons over the appointed Lords in cases where Bills are rejected repeatedly. Commons Leader Sir Alan Campbell hoped for responsible scrutiny by peers to avoid invoking the Act.
The proposed Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill aims to permit terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with less than six months to live, to request an assisted death, subject to approval from two doctors and a panel comprising a social worker, senior legal expert, and psychiatrist.