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The island of Jersey has passed its historic Assisted Dying Law, after States Members voted in favour by 32 votes to 16. My Death, My Decision, a member of the Assisted Dying Coalition alongside End of Life Choices Jersey, welcomes this historic moment, and urges the rest of the UK to move forward in confidence with passing safe, compassionate assisted dying legislation. 

Dave Sowry, Board Member of My Death, My Decision, said:

‘Massive congratulations to the States Assembly of Jersey for having a debate that was rooted in compassion and empathy. Politicians did an excellent job putting themselves in the shoes of the terminally ill, and they should be proud of the respectful debate they had.

‘I wish we could say the same of the debate on assisted dying happening in Westminster, which is currently facing a filibuster by a small group of members of the House of Lords, who are adamantly opposed to the law change. The Tynwald in the Isle of Man voted in favour of assisted dying, now the States Assembly in Jersey has followed suit, will the terminally ill people of England and Wales be left behind?’

The debate:
The States Assembly began by debating a series of amendments to the Draft Legislation, many recommended by the Review Panel. These amendments include both principled changes to the draft law, such as allowing waiver of future consent, and practical changes, such as replacing one of the doctors if they can’t continue assessing.

Deputy Louise Doublet, States Assembly member, said:

‘This is one of the most meaningful things we can do for our island. Death is never an easy thing, but it’s something everyone will face. If we can improve this legislation today, which has extremely rigorous and robust safeguards and principles underpinning it, we can be really proud of it as an Assembly.

‘It is a compassionate gift we are giving our island. As a humanist, I am guided by principles of compassion… It will make some really difficult moments in people’s lives a little bit less painful.’ 

Deputy Helen Miles, States Assembly member, said: 

‘I do not share the theological view that the timing and manner of death must be determined by divine authority; others in this assembly do hold that belief, and I do respect that sincerity and the integrity with which they argued their case. But we legislate for a plural society, and within that society, competent adults must be permitted to make deeply personal decisions about their own lives.

‘I have been thinking of Jersey man Alain Du Chemin, who came and addressed the Citizens jury in April 2021. He was terminally ill, and he asked, “What makes anybody think that they have the right to force me to die in a particular way that I don’t want?” That question has echoed throughout this process. And today, the Assembly is going to answer.

‘Today we have the opportunity to improve dignity at the end of life.’

 What happens next?

The Law will now go to the Privy Council for Royal Assent. The Assisted Dying Bill in the Isle of Man has been awaiting Royal Assent for nearly a year. This has the potential to cause a democratic crisis. 

The Assisted Dying Law will not come into force for another 18 months, likely late summer 2027.

How does it compare to the Terminally Ill Adults Bill in Westminster?

Several elements are almost identical in both Bills. The applicant must:

• Be an adult.
• Be terminally ill.
• Have a clear mental capacity and a settled wish to die.
• Be assessed by two independent doctors.
• Be ordinarily resident for at least 12 months in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Be able to withdraw or cancel at any point along the way.

Both Bills introduce new criminal offences for abuse of the system as well as conscientious objection or a ‘right to refuse’ protections for healthcare professionals.

However, there are some core differences between the two Bills:

• Both Bills are for people with six months left to live or fewer, but the Jersey Bill allows people with a neurodegenerative condition like motor neurone disease to apply if they have twelve months left to live.
• The Jersey Bill includes a subjective suffering element: the person believes they cannot bear the suffering the condition is causing (or is expected to cause).
• In addition to the two doctors, the Westminster Bill requires the applicant to be approved by a panel of a social worker, a lawyer, and a psychiatrist; the Jersey Bill does not require this.
• The Jersey Bill has one 14-day reflection period that can be overridden if the person will die imminently. The Westminster Bill has two reflection periods, the first is seven days, the second is 14 days; only the second can be overridden.

History of change on assisted dying in Jersey
There is a clear democratic mandate for assisted dying in Jersey.

In 2018, 1,861 Jersey residents signed a petition calling for the States Assembly to allow for assisted dying. In 2019, there was an online public survey, a GP and doctors’ survey, and a public meeting, and these all indicated strong support in the community for assisted dying. This led to the Jersey Assisted Dying Citizens’ Jury, a world-class democratic project, and its report and recommendations in 2021 overwhelmingly supported assisted dying. Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson gave oral evidence to the citizens’ jury.

Notes

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033. (media only)

Media can use the following press images and videos, as long as they are attributed to “My Death, My Decision”.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering from an incurable condition the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

The Senedd has voted in favour of the Legislative Consent Motion (LCM) for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill ,28 votes in favour, 23 against, 2 abstentions. My Death, My Decision has welcomed today’s vote in the Senedd, and hopes that the Westminster Parliament sees it as a vote of confidence in the Assisted Dying Bill 

The vote does not change the criminal law on assisted dying, but confirms that the Welsh Government should be able to design and oversee its own implementation of the law, rooted in Welsh values, language, and healthcare structures.

However, due to a concerted filibustering effort in the House of Lords, with a record number of amendments to the Bill, it looks almost certain that the Bill will not pass this Parliamentary session. This means the Bill will need to be brought back in a future session.

Gemma Williams, from Carmarthenshire, has lived with multiple sclerosis (MS) for more than 20 years. She supports the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill and backs terminally ill people having a choice. She said:

‘I’m so proud of the Welsh Parliament today. I watched family members die an awful death, and as someone who has lived with MS for over twenty years, I know the importance of feeling safe, respected, and in control of my own care. Giving Wales the power to tailor how the law works will protect people like me and will hopefully ensure no one has to go through what my family did.’

Graham Winyard, Board Member of My Death, My Decision, said:

‘This decision puts fairness and dignity first. Assisted dying will still be accompanied by some of the strongest safeguards anywhere in the world, but thanks to this vote, Wales can now make sure those safeguards work properly for Welsh patients, families, and clinicians.

All eyes now return to Westminster, where a small cohort of the House of Lords is currently using game-playing and procedural tactics to put the Assisted Dying Bill in jeopardy. They cannot be allowed to frustrate the will of the public, the Commons and the Senedd.’

What is the Legislative Consent Motion (LCM)?

The LCM concerns a small number of clauses inserted into the Bill to ensure Wales can shape its own implementation of assisted dying. These include:

• Making sure people can give information, have assessments, and get reports in Welsh,
• Letting Welsh Ministers give guidance that fits the needs of Welsh communities,
• Allowing the Welsh healthcare system (including NHS Wales) to provide assisted deaths,
• Making sure Wales is involved in checking the system and reporting on how it works.

Notes

74% of Welsh people support a change in the law. Support is broad-based across all major political parties.

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033. (media only)

Media can use the following press images and videos, as long as they are attributed to “My Death, My Decision”.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering from an incurable condition the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

The Isle of Man’s Assisted Dying Bill may lead to a democratic crisis, campaigners have warned, as Royal Assent has not been given 11 months after the Bill passed its final stage in Tynwald. The Assisted Dying Coalition is calling on the Ministry of Justice not to thwart the democratic will of the Isle of Man, and to resolve all issues and grant Royal Assent as soon as possible.

The Bill, introduced by Dr Alex Allinson MHK, passed its final stage in Tynwald on 25 March 2025 and was then submitted for Royal Assent. It will allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill, with a life expectancy of 12 months or fewer and at least five years’ residency on the Island, to request an assisted death under strict safeguards. 

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan, who voted against the legislation, told the House of Keys, the parliament’s lower chamber, that the delay stems from queries raised by Westminster’s Ministry of Justice regarding the Bill’s implementation and safeguards. In December, a UK Government minister said:

‘The UK Government is currently in the process of reviewing the Isle of Man’s Assisted Dying Bill as part of our constitutional responsibilities towards the Crown Dependencies. The Lord Chancellor is responsible for making a recommendation as to whether Crown Dependency primary legislation should receive Royal Assent.’

Cannan suggested that if the Bill had not achieved Royal Assent before the end of the session, the Bill would fail, but advice from the Clerk of Tynwald said Manx politicians will be asked to sign the Bill before the end of this administration, and it can still achieve Royal Assent without failing.

Speaker Juan Watterson confirmed that adjustments could still be made to the Bill under standing orders if required. 

If passed, an implementation phase will follow, including secondary legislation, clinical guidance, and oversight arrangements. Assisted dying could be available to eligible Manx residents from around 2027. 

The delay between the Bill passing and Royal assent is longer than usual. Many recent Acts of Tynwald receive Royal Assent on the same day they are signed, and even more complex laws like the Landlord Registration (Private Housing) Act 2021 faced a gap of under five months. A near-year interval for the Assisted Dying Bill is therefore unusually long compared to recent Acts, but not without precedent.

In England and Wales, the fate of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is in jeopardy after the Bill received a record number of amendments in the House of Lords and debate continued at a record pace, which has been described as a clear filibuster.

Nathan Stilwell, Chair of the Assisted Dying Coalition, said:

‘The Manx public and their elected politicians have been clear: people who are dying should have the right to control the manner and timing of their death. For terminally ill people, this will mean less fear, less suffering, and more control at the end of life.

‘There is no excuse for Westminster to delay the democratic will of the Isle of Man’s parliament. Every month they stall, more dying people are forced to endure needless suffering or travel abroad to die.’

Vicky Christian, campaigner for My Death, My Decision Isle of Man, part of the Coalition, said:

‘The people of the Isle of Man want this legislation, and the MHKs voted for it. For it to be delayed at this late stage would cause a democratic crisis and is extremely unfair towards terminally ill people on the Island.

‘For many families, simply knowing that this option exists would be an enormous comfort, even if they never choose to use it. It will end the cruel choice between an agonising death at home and a lonely death in another country. ’

Notes:

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell, Chair of the Assisted Dying Coalition, at nathan@humanists.uk or phone 07456200033

About the Assisted Dying Coalition:

The Assisted Dying Coalition is the UK and Crown Dependencies’ coalition of organisations working for the legal recognition of assisted dying for terminally ill or incurably suffering adults with a clear and settled wish to die.  

Members include:

Humanists UK

At Humanists UK, we want a tolerant world where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We work to support lasting change for a better society, championing ideas for the one life we have.

My Death, My Decision

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots not-for-profit organisation that campaigns for a balanced and compassionate approach to assisted dying in England and Wales. We have a group in Northern Ireland, Wales, and the Isle of Man

Humanist Society Scotland

Scotland’s national humanist charity. We are a member-powered organisation campaigning to make Scotland a more secular, rational, and socially just country.

Friends at the End

Friends at the End is a Scottish Charity promoting knowledge and understanding of end of life choices and campaigning to change the law to allow Assisted Dying.

End of Life Choices Jersey

End of Life Choices Jersey campaigns for a compassionate assisted dying law for people who are incurably, intolerably suffering, for Jersey residents.

Sophie Blake, a 52-year-old mother with stage four breast cancer, has launched a petition calling on ‘the Government to do everything in its power to ensure that when bills are supported by MPs & the public, they have the time to complete all their stages in Parliament.’ The petition comes in response to the House of Lords’ filibustering, essentially talking out legislation so that it fails, of the Assisted Dying Bill. Humanists UK and My Death, My Decision are calling on everyone to sign the petition and show the Government that a small group of unelected peers should not be able to frustrate the will of the public and the elected House of Commons.

The petition says:

Act to ensure Bills backed by MPs & public can complete all stages in Parliament

We want the Government to do everything in its power to ensure that when bills are supported by MPs & the public, they have the time to complete all their stages in Parliament. We believe this is important to uphold democracy.

We believe the decision of MPs must be respected, especially on matters of social change, and that unelected Lords have a responsibility to scrutinise bills, not block them. With over 1,000 amendments tabled to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, most by just a handful of Lords, we are concerned that it will run out of time. MPs have voted for it and a poll has found over 70% of the public back it. While the Government is neutral, it must uphold democracy. We believe it must act so the Bill can progress.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is currently at the Committee Stage in the House of Lords, where a record number of amendments have been tabled, and the debate has continued at a glacial pace, making it now nearly impossible to pass. The Bill must pass all remaining stages in the House of Lords before the end of the parliamentary session in May or it fails, and peers have only debated 25 groups of amendments out of over 80. 

An early day motion tabled this week from Andrew George MP, highlighting the filibuster tactics in the House of Lords, has already received 31 signatures from MPs. The motion says:

‘That this House believes that the use of filibuster tactics in the House of Lords to frustrate the majority will of the democratically elected House of Commons is unacceptable, including where the elected Commons has given its majority support to a Private Members’ Bill; further believes that the case for the outright abolition of the House of Lords and its replacement would be strengthened if such tactics were used; acknowledges that, although the House of Lords often provides a helpful role through scrutinising and suggesting constructive revisions to bills, it should not have the power to block them, nor to use its procedures to the same effect; and calls on the Government to take legislative steps to ensure that Private Members’ Bills backed by a majority in the elected House can never be defeated by undemocratic means in the House of Lords.’

Hannah Slater, a 38-year-old mum of a three-year-old, is living with terminal breast cancer and wants the choice of an assisted death. She said:

‘It’s unfair and frustrating to people like me who want a better and safer death through assisted dying. We’re stuck in limbo while the compassionate choice of assisted dying continues to be blocked by the Lords.’

Dave Sowry, Board Member of My Death, My Decision, said:

‘A few members of the House of Lords are shamelessly playing games because they are against the Bill as a matter of principle. It is not a game; it’s people’s lives which are at stake. People who are suffering at the end of their life deserve to be treated with respect and given a choice that the option of an assisted death would provide.

Our elected politicians have spoken – they supported Assisted Dying with an absolute majority. The Government should facilitate getting this Bill into law so that MPs’ votes are not undermined.’

Notes

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033. (media only)

Media can use the following press images and videos, as long as they are attributed to “My Death, My Decision”.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering from an incurable condition the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

Elizabeth Tower and Palace of Westminster, Autumn 2025 @House of Commons

Lord Falconer and Kim Leadbeater MP, the sponsors of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, have said they have received legal and constitutional advice that the Parliament Act can be used to bypass the Lords and enact the Bill. Humanists UK and My Death, My Decision welcome this, and hope it encourages the House of Lords to stop filibustering, scrutinise the Bill, and respect the democratic will of the Commons. 

The assisted dying filibuster:

Despite peers agreeing to additional time for the Bill to pass, and peers from both sides of the debate agreeing to send the Bill back to the Commons, debate has continued at a glacial pace. Over 1,200 changes to the Bill have been proposed, with seven of the most vocal opponents putting forward over 600 amendments between them. Amendments have included a pregnancy test for all applicants, including men, a one-year holiday ban for applicants and an unworkable requirement for half a dozen GP visits.

Peers spent nearly an hour debating a group of probing amendments from Lord Frost that would change the wording of ‘assistance to end their own life’ in the Bill to ‘medical help to commit suicide by provision of lethal drugs’. These amendments add nothing to the clarity, workability or safety of the Bill and replace neutral, clinically accurate language with stigmatising terminology. 

We have identified several instances of peers being explicitly clear that they are trying to block the Bill by means other than it being voted down. 

The Parliament Act and Assisted Dying

The Parliament Act is an old law that restricts the House of Lords from overruling the House of Commons. The Assisted Dying Bill is a Private Members’ Bill (PMB), meaning it’s proposed by an individual politician rather than the Government, and there have been questions about whether the Parliament Act applies to PMBs. But, the 2019 guide to the Parliament Act for government drafters clearly states that it does. 

There is a clear precedent of the Parliament Act being used on a ‘conscience issue’ for something similar to the Terminally Ill Adults Bill:

• In 1991, the War Crimes Act was about allowing UK courts to prosecute certain serious Second World War crimes committed in Nazi-occupied Europe; the Lords blocked it, and the Commons ultimately used the Parliament Acts to pass it without the Lords’ consent.
• In 2000, the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act was best known for equalising the age of consent. The Commons supported it on a free vote, but the Lords repeatedly resisted, and it remained stuck between the Houses; it became law via the Parliament Act.
• In 2004, the Hunting Act, banning hunting animals with dogs, ran into the same pattern: the Lords would not accept the Commons’ position, so after prolonged deadlock, the Commons used the Parliament Acts to enact it anyway.

Although much older, the prospect of using the Parliament Act led to the Lords ultimately agreeing. The Temperance (Scotland) Bill 1913, a Bill about restricting alcohol, was ultimately passed in the Lords after a threat of using the Parliament Act helped to force movement.

What needs to happen next for the Terminally Ill Adults Bill?

We are still hopeful that the Bill can pass the House of Lords. This will involve peers withdrawing amendments, sitting later and focusing on real issues. 

If the Bill does not complete all stages in the Lords by 24 April, the last sitting Friday announced, the Bill will fail.

In the next Parliamentary session (June), the same Bill will need to be reintroduced. It doesn’t have to be exactly identical, but be very close and clearly with the same intention. The Speaker gets to determine what constitutes ‘the same Bill’.

This Bill will have to go through all stages in the Commons again. If it does that, the Bill will essentially skip the House of Lords and become law.

Dave Sowry, Board Member of My Death, My Decision, said:

‘A small group, opposed to the Bill on principle, is still determined to shut it down rather than let it move forward. They are refusing to listen to the very people this Bill is meant to help: those nearing the end of their lives, whose final weeks could be made more bearable. Having supported my wife through an assisted death abroad, I know how vital it is that the system is clear and compassionate. This minority in the Lords should not be allowed to thwart both Parliament’s wider judgment and the public’s clear hopes for change.

‘I welcome this announcement, but I haven’t given up hope on the Lords – surely they can come together and get this compassionate Bill back to the Commons and into law.’ 

Notes

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033. (media only)

Media can use the following press images and videos, as long as they are attributed to “My Death, My Decision”.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering from an incurable condition the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

The island of Jersey is one step closer to an assisted dying law, after States Members voted in favour 32 to 14votes. My Death, My Decision and Humanists UK, both members of the Assisted Dying Coalition alongside End of Life Choices Jersey, welcome this vote of confidence in a safe, compassionate assisted dying law. 

Richard Osborne, Board Member of My Death, My Decision, said:

‘A massive congratulations to the States Assembly of Jersey, for having a debate that was rooted in compassion and empathy. Politicians did an excellent job putting themselves in the shoes of the terminally ill, and they should be proud of the respectful debate they had.

‘I wish we could say the same of the debate on assisted dying happening in Westminster, which is currently facing a filibuster by a small group of members of the House of Lords, who are adamantly opposed to the law change. The Tynwald in the Isle of Man voted in favour of assisted dying, the States Assembly in Jersey and Holyrood in Scotland look set to do the same, will the terminally ill people of England and Wales be left behind?’

The debate:

The States Assembly began with a debate on end-of-life care, voting in favour of a proposition to create a statutory duty for the Minister for Health and Social Services to provide high-quality end-of-life care for all residents.

They then voted against delaying today’s debate on assisted dying, before debating and voting on support for the principle of the draft law.

Deputy Louise Doublet, States Assembly member, said:

‘As a humanist, I believe firmly that this is the one life we do have, I believe when we die that’s the end of it, that’s the end of our life. It’s hugely important to me to live a good life and live a life that involves being considerate of my fellow human beings and making ethical choices based on reason and evidence. And for me, that means at the end of my life, having choice and having autonomy over how one’s life is to end is hugely important.’ 

Deputy Tom Binet, Minister for Health and Social Services, said: 

‘It’s about both dignity and choice. By providing choice for those who want it, the draft law also brings forward a robust framework of controls to ensure that the safety of islanders and professionals is maintained.’ 

Deputy Moz Scott, States Assembly member, delivered an emotional speech reflecting on her mother, who died by suicide following a terminal diagnosis; a friend with Parkinson’s disease who removed his feeding tube and refused further treatment; and her brother, who, while battling cancer, was unable to communicate and appeared, in her words, like ‘a living skeleton.’ She said:

‘I will be supporting the principles, in the confidence that it will be adequately scrutinised, and in the confidence we have a society that will support in every way this idea of love and humanity when dealing with others.’

Deputy Montford Tadier, States Assembly member, said:

‘So whilst we can’t be responsible for the circumstances of our birth, we can hopefully be responsible for at least the big decisions that we make in our lives, and certainly one of those decisions should be the manner in which you might choose to die, the manner in which you choose to leave this earth and to leave your loved ones.  Again, it comes down to the ability to say “I may never ever want to use this, it might be something that I can bear, but recognising that other people have different belief systems, and that other people, perhaps do want that safeguard at the end of their life, which is to have choice.”’

What happens next?

Proposed amendments include both principled changes to the draft law, such as removing a waiver of future consent, and practical changes, such as replacing one of the doctors if they can’t continue assessing, such as for health reasons.

The debate will return on 24 February, where States Assembly members will debate and vote on these amendments before the very last debate and vote on the Draft Law. If passed, it is anticipated that the assisted dying law will not come into force for another 18 months, likely late summer 2027

History of change on assisted dying in Jersey

There is a clear democratic mandate for assisted dying in Jersey.

In 2018, 1,861 Jersey residents signed a petition calling for the States Assembly to allow for assisted dying. In 2019, there was an online public survey, a GP and doctors’ survey, and a public meeting and these all indicated strong support in the community for assisted dying. This led to the Jersey Assisted Dying Citizens’ Jury, a world-class democratic project, and their report and recommendations in 2021 overwhelmingly support assisted dying. Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson gave oral evidence to the citizens’ jury.

In May 2024, in a landmark vote, the States Assembly voted by a significant majority – 31 in favour, 15 against – to approve detailed proposals on assisted dying legislation. These detailed proposals have been turned into the Draft Law that has now come back before the Assembly.

Copyright House of Lords 2016 / Photography by Roger Harris

On the sixth Sitting Friday for the Committee stage of the Assisted Dying Bill in the House of Lords, debate in the House of Lords has continued at a glacial pace, with peers debating only three groups of amendments out of the 72 remaining. This is despite the welcome announcement of the Chief Whip for additional time, peers agreeing to additional time for the Bill to pass, and peers from both sides of the debate agreeing to send the Bill back to the Commons. 

Peers spent 53 minutes debating a group of probing amendments from Lord Frost that would change the wording of ‘assistance to end their own life’ in the Bill to ‘medical help to commit suicide by provision of lethal drugs’. These amendments add nothing to the clarity, workability or safety of the Bill and replace neutral, clinically accurate language with stigmatising terminology. 

The fate of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which successfully passed the Commons last year, remains in jeopardy after over 1,100 amendments have been proposed. Humanists UK and My Death, My Decision urge members of the House of Lords to make sure the Bill is returned to the Commons in this parliamentary session.

Filibustering in the Lords

Peers have been accused of attempting to filibuster the Assisted Dying Bill, essentially causing it to fail by proposing an unreasonable number of amendments and deliberately making unnecessary speeches to time it out.

Commenting on the debate in the Lords, Mark D’Arcy, respected political correspondent and co-host of the Hansard Society’s Parliament Matters podcast, said:

‘I’m afraid I’m gonna have to use the F word. This is a filibuster. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and tastes good in orange sauce, it’s a duck. If they’re going this slowly over this piece of legislation, I’m afraid it’s a filibuster. There is no other way to describe what’s going on here. It may be in order. It may be within the rules of the House, but what’s happening here is that a relatively small number of peers are putting down lots and lots of amendments and debating them very, very slowly. And if they continue doing that, this Bill will be lost.’

 We have identified several instances of peers being explicitly clear that they are trying to block the Bill by means other than it being voted down. Seven of the most vocal opponents of the Bill have put forward over 600 amendments between them. Amendments have included a pregnancy test for all applicants, including men, a one-year holiday ban for applicants and an unworkable requirement for half a dozen GP visits.

The Bill must pass all parliamentary stages before the end of the parliamentary session, expected in May 2026, or it will fail.

Dave Sowry, Board Member of My Death, My Decision, said:

‘A small group, opposed to the Bill on principle, is still determined to shut it down rather than let it move forward. They are refusing to listen to the very people this Bill is meant to help: those nearing the end of their lives, whose final weeks could be made more bearable. Having supported my wife through an assisted death abroad, I know how vital it is that the system is clear and compassionate. This minority in the Lords should not be allowed to thwart both Parliament’s wider judgment and the public’s clear hopes for change.’ 

Notes

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033. (media only)

Media can use the following press images and videos, as long as they are attributed to “My Death, My Decision”.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering from an incurable condition the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

Debate in the House of Lords has continued at a glacial pace, with only 2 groups of amendments out of the 74 remaining groups being debated. This is despite peers agreeing to additional time for the Bill to pass, which saw peers from both sides of the debate speaking of the importance of getting the Bill back to the Commons. 

This means the fate of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which successfully passed the Commons last year, remains in jeopardy after over 1,100 amendments have been proposed. Humanists UK and My Death, My Decision urge members of the House of Lords to make sure the Bill is returned to the Commons in this parliamentary session.

What happens next?

Last night’s motion to give more time will now lead to peers entering into private negotiations, known as ‘the usual channels’, about how and when this time will be given. This may involve peers starting early or staying late for the debates, or debating on a Thursday. Lord Falconer and Baroness Smith of Basildon, the Leader of the House of Lords, both ruled out additional government time.

Many peers had hoped that last night’s non-binding vote would lead to peers picking up the pace during the debate. Even ardent opponents of assisted dying have argued that the House of Lords should work constructively to get the Bill to Third Reading. However, the debate continued slowly, with peers debating a large group of amendments relating to reversing the Commons’ decision to change the high court judge sign-off to a multidisciplinary panel.

In the first five debates, representing over 20 hours of debate, peers only debated 12 out of 84 groups of amendments, and more amendments continue to be tabled. A potential solution raised during the recent debate is for larger groups of amendments that deal with a small number of contentious issues of disagreement. 

Filibustering in the Lords

Peers have been accused of attempting to filibuster the Assisted Dying Bill, essentially causing it to fail by proposing an unreasonable number of amendments and deliberately making unnecessary speeches to time it out. We’ve identified several instances of peers being explicitly clear that they are trying to block the Bill by means other than it being voted down.

Seven of the most vocal opponents of the Bill have put forward over 600 amendments between them. Amendments have included a pregnancy test for all applicants, including men, a one-year holiday ban for applicants and an unworkable requirement for half a dozen GP visits.

The Bill must pass all parliamentary stages before the end of the parliamentary session, expected in May 2026, or it fails. 

Nathan Stilwell, Assisted Dying Campaigner at Humanists UK, said:

‘Every procedural delay, every stalling tactic, traps people in a system that denies them agency and compassion at the moment they need it most. The status quo forces suffering, strips families of dignity, and exports choice to foreign countries. It is not neutral; it is actively harmful. To preserve this system in the name of process is to ignore the real human cost paid by those who cannot afford to wait.’

Dave Sowry, Board Member of My Death, My Decision, said:

‘With last night’s vote, there continue to be ever-rising calls to speed up the debate and get the Assisted Dying Bill back to the Commons. 

‘A small group, opposed to the Bill on principle, is still determined to shut it down rather than let it move forward. They are refusing to listen to the very people this Bill is meant to help: those nearing the end of their lives, whose final weeks could be made more bearable. Having supported my wife through an assisted death abroad, I know how vital it is that the system is clear and compassionate. This minority in the Lords should not be allowed to thwart both Parliament’s wider judgment and the public’s clear hopes for change.’ 

Notes

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033. (media only)

Media can use the following press images and videos, as long as they are attributed to “My Death, My Decision”.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering from an incurable condition the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.