Key facts
- Labour MP Lauren Edwards is reintroducing an assisted dying bill in the House of Commons.
- The bill previously passed the Commons but was blocked in the House of Lords.
- Marie Tidball, Alex Davies-Jones, Kim Leadbeater, Peter Bedford, Andrew George, Kit Malthouse, Dr Peter Prinsley, Dr Simon Opher, Josh Babarinde, Sian Berry, and Liz Saville-Roberts are co-sponsoring the bill.
- Edwards plans to allow the legislative process to continue and potentially use the Parliament Act if the Lords obstruct the bill again.
- Edwards has apologised for past offensive social media comments.
Labour MP Lauren Edwards has announced her intention to reintroduce an assisted dying bill in the House of Commons, aiming to overcome the legislative hurdles it faced in the House of Lords. The bill, which had previously passed the Commons, was stalled in the upper house due to a significant number of amendments submitted by opponents. Edwards stated that she is motivated by what she perceives as an "anti-democratic" process that prevented the bill from progressing.
Edwards, the MP for Rochester and Strood, expressed her commitment to the bill, asserting that her role as a parliamentarian is to act on what she believes is right for her constituents and the country, regardless of potential internal party divisions. She plans to present the bill for its first reading on Wednesday, with a second-reading debate expected in early September. The return of the bill could open the possibility of using the Parliament Act to bypass the Lords if it is blocked again, though Edwards indicated this would be a last resort, primarily to ensure the democratic process continues and to restore faith in the political system.
Several other MPs are set to co-sponsor the bill, including Labour MP Marie Tidball and former minister Alex Davies-Jones, as well as Conservative MP Peter Bedford, Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George, and others who were part of the previous bill's scrutiny committee. Edwards also addressed past social media comments from 2009 that resurfaced after her election, for which she has apologised, stating that the language was regrettable and does not reflect her current views or attitudes towards disabled people. She highlighted her support for disability rights campaigns and opposition to welfare changes affecting personal independence payments as evidence of her broader commitment.