MPs are set to vote on a bill that would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales to seek medical assistance to end their lives.
Key facts
- •The proposed legislation applies to adults in England and Wales with a life expectancy of less than six months.
- •The bill previously stalled in the House of Lords following the introduction of over 1,280 amendments.
- •If passed, the UK would join countries including Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Australia, and Canada in allowing assisted dying.
- •Esther Rantzen, who joined Dignitas after her 2023 cancer diagnosis, stated she is now too physically fragile to travel to Switzerland.
- •Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed he will not participate in the vote.
The House of Commons is debating the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill today, with a vote scheduled for 2:30 p.m. The proposal would permit adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live to seek medical assistance to end their lives. Labour MP Lauren Edwards has revived the bill after a previous version stalled in the House of Lords.
By the numbers
Legislative Background and Debate
The bill was previously approved by MPs in June 2025 but faced significant opposition in the House of Lords, where opponents introduced more than 1,280 amendments. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has stated he will abstain from the vote to avoid influencing the debate. Some Labour MPs have expressed concerns regarding the use of obscure parliamentary procedures to advance the bill if it faces further obstruction in the Lords.
Esther Rantzen's Experience
Broadcaster Esther Rantzen, 86, shared that she is now unable to travel to Switzerland to utilize the Dignitas clinic as she had previously planned. Rantzen, who was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in 2023, stated that her physical condition has deteriorated to the point where she can no longer make the journey. She noted that when she was physically capable of traveling, her condition was not yet unbearable, and she did not realize that would be her final opportunity to access the service.
Timeline
- 2023Esther Rantzen was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
- June 2025MPs voted to approve the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
- TodayThe House of Commons is scheduled to vote on the revived bill.
Advertisement
This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Guardian Politics (UK).
