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A controversial bill seeking to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales looks set to fail after running out of parliamentary time, following months of delays in the House of Lords.
The proposed legislation had earlier cleared a major hurdle when the House of Commons voted in favour of the measure in June last year, marking a historic moment in one of Britain’s most divisive social policy debates.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would have allowed mentally competent adults diagnosed with less than six months to live to request medical assistance to end their lives. Supporters argued the law would provide dignity, autonomy and compassion for people facing incurable illnesses.
However, more than 1,200 amendments were tabled in the unelected upper chamber, preventing the bill from completing its passage before the end of the current parliamentary session. Under parliamentary procedure, bills that do not pass both chambers before a session ends usually fall.
Backers of the bill accused opponents of deliberately obstructing progress. More than 200 members of the House of Lords signed a letter claiming the legislation “will fall as a result of deliberate delaying tactics pursued by a minority of peers opposed to its passage.”
Kim Leadbeater, the MP who introduced the bill in late 2024, said she would continue the campaign in the next session. She vowed to “keep pushing for a safer, more compassionate law until parliament reaches a final decision.”
Campaigners outside parliament expressed frustration at the delay. Rebecca Wilcox, daughter of broadcaster Esther Rantzen, who is terminally ill and has publicly backed reform, said the failure to secure a vote carries “a real human cost.” She added she felt “unbelievably furious” that lawmakers were not celebrating progress.
Critics welcomed the bill’s setback. The Christian Medical Fellowship said it was “relieved” the measure had stalled, arguing it was impossible to create an assisted dying system that is fully safe, fair and free from pressure on vulnerable people.
Concerns over coercion, particularly involving disabled people, were also raised by some opponents, including Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson, who said she objected to the bill in its current form rather than the principle itself.
The collapse of the measure means the debate over assisted dying in Britain remains unresolved, with campaigners on both sides expected to renew pressure when parliament returns.
