Back to News
Why did the assisted dying bill fail in the Commons? | Rowena Mason
UK NewsPoliticsSeptember 11, 2026 at 6:54 PMNational

Why did the assisted dying bill fail in the Commons? | Rowena Mason

By Rowena Mason Whitehall editorThe Guardian - UK News

MPs quietly withdrew support when it became clear it was not a priority of Andy Burnham’s governmentAfter two years of impassioned arguments, tearful personal testimonies, noisy protests and ethical dilemmas, the assisted dying bill for England and Wales failed on a knife edge.Campaigners on the pro side largely blame the House of Lords for making it seem an impossible struggle to get the bill through parliament, after blocking it the first time by putting through more than 1,000 amendments so that it ran out of time. Continue reading...

MPs quietly withdrew support when it became clear it was not a priority of Andy Burnham’s government

After two years of impassioned arguments, tearful personal testimonies, noisy protests and ethical dilemmas, the assisted dying bill for England and Wales failed on a knife edge.

Campaigners on the pro side largely blame the House of Lords for making it seem an impossible struggle to get the bill through parliament, after blocking it the first time by putting through more than 1,000 amendments so that it ran out of time.

Continue reading...

Related News