Supporters of assisted dying have a narrow chance to use the Parliament Acts to bypass the House of Lords, but prominent backers have expressed opposition to this approach. Former cabinet ministers Louise Haigh, Ian Murray, and Jeremy Hunt have told constituents they do not expect the bill to be resurrected via the Parliament Acts, which would allow the Commons to override the Lords.
Bill's Narrow Passage and Lords Blockage
Kim Leadbeater's assisted dying bill passed the Commons by just 23 votes, meaning a shift of 12 MPs could defeat any returning bill. The private member's bill, which applied to England and Wales, fell in the House of Lords after opponents submitted over 1,000 amendments, causing the debate to run too long for a vote.
Potential for Revival
Two MPs who backed the bill—Labour's Lauren Edwards and Liberal Democrat Andrew George—ranked high in the latest private member's bill ballot. Both are considering adopting the bill, though George noted that his constituents preferred a bill on affordable housing.
Haigh, the former transport secretary, wrote to a constituent in Sheffield Heeley stating she "would not support attempts" to invoke the Parliament Acts. She believes it is "extremely unlikely" the act will be used.
Murray, in a letter to Edinburgh South constituents before the bill fell, wrote: "Any decision about the use of the Parliament Acts would only arise in specific procedural circumstances and would ultimately be a matter for the government and for parliament as a whole. I think using them is extremely unlikely." He added that he would assess the bill on its merits if it returned.
Hunt, writing in March, said he would be "extremely disappointed" if the bill collapsed but argued invoking the Parliament Acts could "raise ethical questions about the legislation itself." He said bypassing the Lords would likely be challenged and he would not favour such action.
Other MPs Express Doubts
Several other backbench MPs, including Liberal Democrat Charlotte Cane and Labour's Deirdre Costigan, have expressed doubts about using the Parliament Acts. Costigan called for reform of the House of Lords to prevent future blockage.
Conservative MP Peter Bedford, a co-sponsor of Leadbeater's bill, wrote to constituents saying he did "not think it will succeed if brought back as a private member's bill again during this parliamentary session" and did "not agree with this being debated again in the near future." However, a spokesperson clarified that Bedford would likely back the bill if it returned, as he supports the principle of assisted dying.
