MPs have voted to reject the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, also known as the assisted dying bill. The vote on the second reading of the Bill in the Commons was 286 against, with 270 in favour, a majority of 16. It means the proposed law will not proceed any further.
What the Bill proposed
The legislation was designed to allow adults aged 18 and over who are terminally ill and are in the final six months of their life to request assistance from a doctor to end their life. It had been considered by the House of Commons once already, and MPs approved it last year. But it was then blocked by opponents in the House of Lords.
Labour backbench MP Lauren Edwards, who represents Rochester and Strood, brought the proposed law back to the Commons, so that it could be considered again. She told MPs: "If we fail to support the Bill ... are we not saying that it's fine for a minority of unelected peers to defy the will of this House of Commons?"
Debate and key speeches
Forty-one backbenchers made speeches in the debate, which lasted more than four-and-a-half hours. They included health minister Alison McGovern, who was visibly emotional as she told the Commons that she accepted care for people at the end of their lives had to be improved and added: "Many members and friends will know that in July, I lost my own mum. So I had a very practical education in this topic, and that experience will shape how I take this work forward."
MPs had a "free vote", which meant they could make their own decisions without being bound by party policy. Opinion was divided in all the major parties.
How MPs voted
Full lists of MPs who voted in favour, against, and with no vote recorded are available in the original report. Tellers for the "aye" vote were Bambos Charalambous, Southgate and Wood Green, Labour, and Jeff Smith, Manchester Withington, Labour. Tellers for the "nay" vote were Ruth Jones, Newport West and Islwyn, Labour, and Katrina Murray, Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch, Labour. Tellers help count the vote.
