Plans to legalise assisted suicide will be brought forward again at Westminster in the form of a Private Member’s Bill.
Labour MP Lauren Edwards came second in the Private Members’ Ballot last month, and says she will bring forward legislation that is identical to Kim Leadbeater’s Bill, which narrowly passed in the House of Commons one year ago.
By using identical legislation, Edwards could invoke the Parliament Acts. This would mean that if the Bill is voted through the House of Commons in an unchanged manner, the House of Lords – where the Leadbeater Bill stalled – could table amendments, but would be unable to reject it outright.
The Parliament Acts have only been used seven times in the last century, and never for a Private Member’s Bill.
‘Deeply concerned’
Supporters of Kim Leadbeater’s Bill falsely claimed that members of the House of Lords engaged in filibustering to block the legislation prompting Edwards to say: “It’s perfectly reasonable for us to ask the House of Lords to finish the job.”
But opponents say the vast number of amendments was necessary, given the poor quality of the Bill. The Royal College of Psychiatrists, disability groups and hospices all opposed it, and while the Bill passed the House of Commons by 314 to 291, a number of MPs said they only voted in favour because they expected the House of Lords to make vital amendments.
Ashley Dalton, Labour MP for West Lancashire, said she was “deeply concerned” that new legislation was being brought forward in the same form, saying: “Voters put us in power to reduce the cost of living and fix the NHS. We have debated this deeply divisive and flawed assisted dying bill for over a year and supporters have refused to listen or to make the necessary changes.”
She argued that legalising assisted suicide in this way would “hand sweeping unchecked powers over life and death and our NHS to future governments”.
Parliament Acts
The narrow majority of 23 at the last vote means that just twelve MPs would need to change their mind in order for the new legislation to fall at Second Reading on 11 September. Half that number indicated last month they would not support bypassing the House of Lords if a similar Bill was brought forward.
Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt voted against legalising assisted suicide in 2015 but last year changed his mind and voted in favour. However, he now says that, despite supporting the principle, invoking the Parliament Acts could “undermine the House of Lords as a revising chamber”, as well as “raise ethical questions about the legislation itself”.
In a letter to a constituent, he said: “The bill addresses complex moral issues and bypassing the Lords would likely be challenged so I would not be in favour of taking this action.”
Dierdre Costigan, Labour MP for Ealing Southall, also voted in favour of Kim Leadbeater’s Bill at Third Reading last June but says it would be inappropriate to bypass the House of Lords because the issue is not in the Government’s manifesto and therefore no mandate exists to force it through. Liberal Democrats Richard Foord and Will Forster also said they did not think the Parliament Acts should be used.
“I’m deeply concerned that supporters are bringing the assisted dying bill back. … We have debated this deeply divisive and flawed assisted dying bill for over a year and supporters have refused to listen or to make the necessary changes.” @AshleyDalton_MP
— The Christian Institute (@christianorguk) June 15, 2026
Opposition from constituents
Lauren Edwards’ decision to bring forward the Bill again comes despite opposition from within her constituency, where only seven per cent say it is a priority issue.
Last week, constituents turned out at her Kent office, asking her not to pursue the divisive and dangerous legislation, highlighting its deep flaws that.
We were down in Rochester & Strood today – where MP Lauren Edwards is under the most pressure to revive the failed assisted death Bill and push it through into law.
Local residents turned out with The OH’s @fionamacmac & @TheNotDeadYetUK, to ask her not to return this Bill. pic.twitter.com/3qiMgpjtMu
— The Other Half (@OtherHalfOrg) June 6, 2026
‘Irresponsible’
The Christian Institute’s Head of Communications, Angus Saul, criticised the “irresponsible move”.
“Despite activists’ claims, the House of Lords did not table countless amendments to Leadbeater’s Bill out of mere ‘delay tactics’. Peers emphasised over and again that the Bill was ‘full of holes’ and had not received ‘due diligence and proper pre-legislative scrutiny’, while professional bodies recognised that it was unsafe.
“The truth is, the more people understand the true nature of assisted suicide, the less they like it, and activists want to keep that fact hidden. Instead of bringing back this horrific Bill, MPs need to ensure that all can access high-quality palliative care.”
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