Members of the UK Parliament are set to resume debate on a contentious bill proposing the legalisation of assisted dying in England and Wales, marking the first Commons discussion on the issue since substantial amendments were introduced.
Originally passed through its first reading in November 2024, the bill has since undergone rigorous scrutiny, with both supporters and opponents submitting dozens of amendments. Despite Friday’s renewed debate, a final vote is not expected until June.
The fresh deliberations follow a quiet revision by the government to its impact assessment on the potential rollout of assisted dying services. The amended analysis acknowledges earlier miscalculations in uptake estimates, reducing the upper projection of assisted deaths in the first year from 787 to 647.
Critics of the legislation have pointed to the shifting estimates as indicative of a disorganised and unclear legislative process. Some MPs opposing the bill described the developments as “chaotic” and urged further caution.
However, Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP sponsoring the bill, remains confident in its direction. “This bill is coming back to the Commons even stronger,” she said, encouraging fellow lawmakers to “grasp this opportunity with both hands.”
The debate is expected to highlight deep ethical, legal, and medical divisions over end-of-life care, with Parliament once again at the centre of a national conversation on individual autonomy, palliative options, and the responsibilities of the state.
