Lords Face 'Irrelevant Talking Shop' Accusation Over Assisted Dying Bill Stalemate
Labour's former minister Lord Falconer has issued a stark warning that the House of Lords risks being perceived as an "irrelevant talking shop" if it fails to make substantial progress on the contentious assisted dying Bill. As deliberations resumed on Friday, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the Bill's sponsor in the upper chamber, criticised peers for moving at what he described as a "glacial pace," highlighting that over 80 hours have been spent scrutinising the legislation since it was passed by the Commons in June last year.
Scrutiny or Stalling? The Debate Intensifies
Opponents of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill have faced continuous accusations of attempting to "talk out" the legislation as it navigates through the Lords. However, many peers insist they are merely fulfilling their duty to scrutinise a Bill they argue is not safe in its current form and requires strengthening. With the parliamentary session ending in May, the draft legislation will fall if it does not complete all stages by that deadline, adding urgency to the proceedings.
Lord Falconer told the Press Association that this would not mark "the end of the road" for the Bill, vowing to invoke a rare parliamentary procedure to override peers if necessary. The Parliament Act permits Bills backed by the Commons in two successive sessions, but rejected by peers, to pass into law without Lords' approval. Only seven Bills have utilised these powers under section 2 of the law, including the Hunting Act 2004, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Detailed Breakdown of Deliberations
On the 10th day of committee stage in the Lords, Lord Falconer accused peers of "taking an undue length of time" on the Bill. He provided a detailed account to the chamber: "We have spent 53 hours debating this Bill at committee stage. Including additional scrutiny by a select committee and two full days of debate at second reading, we have had more than 80 hours of deliberations on this Bill since it was passed to us in June, more than eight months ago."
He further elaborated: "1,253 amendments have been tabled in total, of which we have debated 354 so far. We have over 850 amendments left to be debated, which suggests we need another 22 days of committee stage if we continue at this glacial pace. After nine days of debate, we have completed consideration of just three clauses. We have debated 26 groups and have another 60 still to go."
Lord Falconer earnestly appealed to the House: "I would ask the House to consider whether or not we could agree informally on how to make progress and complete the committee stage by the end of the next day. Because otherwise we fail to do what we are so good at, which is scrutiny and improvement. The way it is going at the moment, we will reach no conclusions whatsoever. We will appear to be an irrelevant talking shop."
Heated Exchanges and Personal Accusations
The debate has sparked heated exchanges among peers. Former newspaper editor Lord Moore of Etchingham suggested it would be "helpful" for those amending the Bill to be told if others thought they were taking too long. Meanwhile, Lord Harper faced criticism when accused of "beginning his first filibuster," but he insisted the average speech length has been less than five minutes—half the advised time—and urged proponents to "reflect on their own contribution" for the lack of progress.
The Tory former cabinet minister was met with groans as he accused others of not "listening with courtesy and respect." In a particularly charged moment, Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, a professor of palliative medicine, accused those alleging she was delaying the Bill of being "vicious." She stated: "I am not trying to filibuster, and I would like to make that absolutely clear following the extremely unpleasant, vicious comments that have been made about me, both in the media and in very aggressive emails that have been sent to me."
Former environment secretary Lord Deben called for the Bill's sponsors to "apologise publicly" for comments towards Baroness Finlay, branding them "unacceptable."
Bill Provisions and Broader Implications
If passed, the Bill would allow adults with terminal illnesses in England and Wales who have less than six months to live to apply for an assisted death. It was voted through by MPs with a majority of 24, reflecting significant support in the Commons. The ongoing delays in the Lords not only threaten the Bill's passage but also raise questions about the chamber's effectiveness and relevance in modern parliamentary processes, as highlighted by Lord Falconer's warnings.
