MPs on both sides urge Commons not to take ‘extraordinary risk’ of forcing through assisted dying bill
Summary
Members of Parliament (MPs) in the UK are debating a bill that would allow terminally ill adults to end their lives with expert approval. Some MPs warn against forcing the bill through Parliament using a special law that bypasses the House of Lords, fearing serious constitutional problems.Key Facts
- The assisted dying bill aims to let adults with less than six months to live choose to end their lives with expert approval.
- The bill passed the House of Commons last year but was blocked in the House of Lords by many amendments and delay tactics.
- Some MPs want to use the 1911 Parliament Act to override the House of Lords and pass the bill without their consent.
- Two Labour MPs, Gareth Snell and Meg Hillier, wrote a letter warning against using this override, calling it a great risk.
- The Parliament Act has been used rarely since 1949, in cases like decriminalizing homosexuality and banning fox hunting.
- If the override is used, the bill cannot be changed by the House of Lords, preventing amendments.
- Supporters say the House of Lords can still amend the bill if they allow it to proceed to a vote, but opponents blocked it by submitting over 1,000 amendments to delay debate.
- The debate raises concerns about how Parliament should handle important and sensitive laws carefully.
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