Assisted dying backers rule out Parliament Acts to bypass Lords
Prominent supporters of Kim Leadbeater’s bill have informed constituents they do not support using the Parliament Acts to circumvent the House of Lords, where the measure was blocked by over 1,000 amendments.
A growing number of MPs who backed the assisted dying legislation have written to constituents stating they do not expect the bill to be resurrected using the Parliament Acts. Former cabinet ministers Louise Haigh, Ian Murray and Jeremy Hunt have all signalled that they would not support attempts to invoke the mechanism, which allows legislation to bypass the House of Lords under specific circumstances.
Kim Leadbeater’s private member’s bill passed the House of Commons by 23 votes, applying to England and Wales. However, the measure fell in the Lords after opponents submitted more than 1,000 amendments, which extended the debate and prevented a final vote. Supporters now face a narrow path to revival, requiring another MP to take the bill through the Commons again via the private member’s bill ballot.
Haigh, the former transport secretary, wrote to a voter in her Sheffield Heeley constituency confirming she would not support attempts to force the bill through. She described it as “extremely unlikely” that the Parliament Act would be invoked and cited procedural norms in her opposition.
Ian Murray, MP for Edinburgh South, wrote to constituents before the bill’s failure in the Lords, stating that using the Parliament Acts was “extremely unlikely”. He noted that any decision would be a matter for the government and parliament as a whole, but affirmed he would assess any returning bill on its merits, including safeguards and amendments.
Jeremy Hunt stated he would be “extremely disappointed” if the bill collapsed but opposed bypassing the Lords due to the complex moral issues involved. He warned that such a move would likely raise ethical questions and face legal challenges, noting he would not be in favour of taking this action.
Two MPs who backed the original bill, Labour’s Lauren Edwards and Liberal Democrat Andrew George, came second and fourth respectively in the latest private member’s bill ballot. While Edwards has indicated interest in adopting the bill, George said he would consult constituents, noting that affordable housing was preferred by local people.
Other backbench MPs have expressed doubts about the use of the act. Conservative MP Peter Bedford, a co-sponsor, told constituents he did not think the bill would succeed if brought back as a private member’s bill during this session. However, a spokesperson clarified that Bedford would likely back the bill if it returned in principle, given his support for the concept of assisted dying.
Several other MPs, including Lib Dem Charlotte Cane and Labour’s Deirdre Costigan, have written to constituents expressing reservations. Costigan suggested reforming the House of Lords to prevent the upper chamber from blocking future bills in a similar manner, though she stopped short of opposing the assisted dying legislation itself.