Assisted dying BLOCKED from becoming law after MPs vote against historic bill

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The bill has now been rejected in the Commons after a debate lasting more than four and a half hours

Labour's controversial assisted dying bill has failed to become law having lost the support of MPs in a historic vote.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was rejected in the Commons today, following a highly emotional five-hour debate in the chamber.

MPs had initially voted in favour of the assisted dying bill last year when it was introduced by Kim Leadbeater, only for the legislation to run out of time in the Lords.

The vote was rejected 286 MPs voting against with 270 MPs voting in favour.

The vote means the bill has fallen and will not progress through parliament.

It would need to be reintroduced for a third time, or a different bill drawn up, for the issue of assisted dying to begin being debated in parliament yet again.

A small group of cross-party MPs cheered and pumped their fists as MPs voted against the draft law.

Other MPs could be seen hugging after the Private Members’ Bill fell at second reading.

Chief Executive of Care Not Killing Gordon Macdonald said: "This was a decisive vote by MPs, who have over the last 24 months seen through the pernicious pretence that this draft legislation was safe and wouldn’t put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives prematurely.

"We heard from numerous MPs, echoing comments made by the Prime Minister, that fixing the palliative and social care systems should be the priority for the Government, rather than pressing ahead with this dangerous and ideological piece of legislation."

He added: "Our hope is that MPs now focus on repairing palliative care in the UK and securing the necessary funding to make sure that no matter what part of the country you live in, you can access the best possible care available and are treated with dignity and respect.

"As one of many doctors have said, we need much more care, not killing."

Campaigners against it argued it contained inadequate safeguards and that it could result in some of society’s most vulnerable being at risk of coercion and choosing an assisted death because they feel like a burden.

Opposition to the Bill had been voiced by the leader of Catholics in England and Wales, Archbishop Richard Moth, who called it "wrong in principle" and "deeply flawed" as well as the Church of England’s Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally.

Medical colleges, including the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), had also raised "serious concerns" about the Bill, saying there were "too many unanswered questions about the safeguarding of people with mental illness".

Prime Minister Andy Burnham previously said he believes the funding of palliative care needs to be fixed before consideration can be given to legalising assisted dying but Bill sponsor Lauren Edwards had insisted both were possible alongside each other.

Marie Curie, Hospice UK and St Christopher’s Hospice charity are all neutral on the principle of assisted dying.

However, they have repeatedly warned access to and quality of end-of-life care is too patchy across the country and that the sector is severely lacking in funding and said "the need for more urgent and ambitious action to fix end-of-life care could not be clearer".

Liz Kendall, the former work and pensions secretary who supported the bill said: "[I am] deeply disappointed to lose today’s vote on assisted dying and for the distress this will cause so many families who have campaigned for a change in the law.

"But this will happen eventually. Because people deserve greater choice and control and to die with dignity and respect."

Those who voted in favour of the bill included Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, Health Secretary Yvette Cooper, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper and all five Green Party MPs

MPs who voted against the bill included former Labour frontbenchers Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, five Reform UK MPs, Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe and TUV leader Jim Allister.