On 14 June 2026, Lauren Edwards, the Labour MP for Rochester and Strood, announced that she would re-introduce the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which was first tabled by Kim Leadbeater MP in 2024.
The second reading is expected to take place on 11 September 2026.
Background to the Bill
On 29th November 2024, MPs voted by 330 to 275 to give Kim Leadbeater MP’s the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill a second reading.
The Bill was then examined by a Committee of MPs, where it was substantially amended, before being debated at Report stage by all MPs. On 20 June, MPs voted by 314 to 291 to pass Kim Leadbeater’s assisted suicide bill to the House of Lords, by a reduced majority of 23.
It then passed to the House of Lords, where it underwent extensive scrutiny, revealing its myriad flaws. It failed to pass through all its parliamentary stages before the end of the session, and fell.
What happens now?
Lauren Edwards MP, who came second in the parliamentary ballot to introduce a private members bill, has announced that she will use her slot to reintroduce Kim Leadbeater’s failed bill. Pushing forward with an identical bill, without amendments, would make it possible to invoke the Parliament Acts, and pass it without the consent of the House of Lords.
MPs will vote at 2nd Reading on 11 September.
Take Action
In order to invoke the Parliament Acts, Ms Edwards and her allies first need to get MPs to approve the Bill. It is therefore vital that we defeat the Bill at Second Reading. This is a chance to decisively defeat this dreadful bill. Support has plummeted since MPs first voted on it – it can and must be defeated.
Please write to your MP now, expressing your horror that this dangerous bill is being reintroduced, and urging him/her to vote against it in September.
Enter your postcode in our tool to contact your MP. This will bring up how your MP voted last time, and gives a space for you to write your message. Tell your MP why YOU are concerned about this bill.
Write to Your MP
Enter your postcode to check how your MP voted with regards to the Third Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill and to send them your message.
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Watch the Webinar: How to stop assisted suicide
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Watch Dr. Dominic Whitehouse’s Webinar: The Case Against Assisted Suicide and How to Stop It
Dr. Dominic Whitehouse is a palliative care consultant. He recently toured the UK speaking at three major meetings, explaining why the legalisation of assisted suicide would be harmful to doctors, patients and society. Click below to view Dr Whitehouse’s talk at the SPUC webinar
Free 45 minute webinar
Essential knowledge to impact upcoming UK legislation
Assisted suicide is not a solution to pain
Good palliative care should ensure that pain is controlled well, and some people suffer horrible deaths due to adverse effects of experimental drugs used for assisted suicide in other countries.
Where assisted suicide is legal, one reason people choose to die is because they feel they are a burden on others.
People with disabilities and the terminally ill will particularly fear the passing of this law which could make them feel pressured to end their lives.
Most doctors remain opposed to assisted suicide
The majority of doctors in the UK remain opposed to the introduction of assisted dying. This opposition is strongest amongst doctors who work most closely with dying patients.
Earlier this year, SPUC reported on a recent Association of Palliative Medicine (APM) survey that found such doctors were “concerned” that a focus on “traumatic” and “negative” patient cases was being used to manipulate the British public into supporting assisted suicide.
Lives Worth Living: Visit Our Assisted Suicide Campaign Page
SPUC upholds the right to life from conception until natural death, and has played a part in resisting many attempts both in Parliament and in the courts to change the law on assisted suicide.
Please visit the the page to access free resources and find out how you can join our campaign.
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