The assisted dying bill for England and Wales has failed in the House of Commons, following two years of debate and personal testimonies. The bill's failure comes after a significant reduction in support from MPs.
In the latest vote, 270 MPs voted in favour of the bill, while 286 voted against it. This marks a fall of 45 votes in favour compared to the previous vote, where 314 MPs supported the bill and 291 opposed it.
Campaigners who supported the bill largely attribute its failure to the House of Lords, which previously blocked it by introducing over 1,000 amendments. Opponents of the bill suggest it was bound to fail due to numerous objections raised on safety grounds.
Many MPs reportedly felt momentum for the bill was lost when it became clear it was not a priority for Andy Burnham's government. Although Mr Burnham had previously indicated he would likely vote in favour of the initial private member's bill, he stated in July that improving end-of-life support should be the primary focus.
Some MPs also privately acknowledged that backing the bill caused division within Labour and diverted attention from other pressing issues, such as the cost of living and healthcare. The bill's sponsors had considered using the Parliament Act to force it through if blocked again by the Lords, but this would have meant passing the bill without amendments, which concerned some MPs who desired further protections against coercion.