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Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said that social care and palliative care should be properly funded and reformed before assisted dying legislation is introduced.

Mr Burnham has previously expressed support for the principle of assisted dying, saying in 2024 that family experiences had changed his view and convinced him that people and their families are too often allowed to suffer.

While making clear that he was not opposed to a debate on assisted dying, Mr Burnham argued that people should first have confidence that high-quality care will be available to them at the end of life.

His comments come ahead of the Second Reading of Lauren Edwards MP’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on Friday 11 September 2026.

The Bill would allow terminally ill adults, subject to safeguards and protections, to request and receive assistance to end their own lives.

My Death, My Decision agrees that palliative and social care urgently need greater investment. However, improving care must not become a condition that has to be met before Parliament can consider the separate question of assisted dying.

Good palliative care can relieve pain and many other symptoms, while social care can help people live with greater comfort, independence and dignity. But neither can remove every form of suffering or provide every dying person with the control and reassurance they may need.

Better care and greater choice are not competing alternatives. A compassionate society should provide both.

Hannah Slater: “Remember who this law is for”

Hannah Slater, 38, has terminal cancer and a three-year-old son. Earlier this year, she was told she may have only months to live.

She said:

“I would ask Andy Burnham to remember who this law is for.

It is for terminally ill people like me, who are not asking for less care, but for the reassurance that we will have a choice if our suffering becomes unbearable.

I have already lost the sight in my left eye, and I am frightened of losing my independence, my ability to communicate and everything that makes me feel like me.

Of course palliative and social care need greater investment, but that cannot be used as a reason to make dying people wait. I do not have endless time for politics to catch up.”

Care and choice address different needs

Dr Richard Osborne, a board member of My Death, My Decision, spent 30 years as a consultant medical oncologist and cared for almost 10,000 patients, most of whom had metastatic, incurable cancer.

His clinical experience reflects a central truth in this debate: even excellent care cannot relieve every symptom or every form of suffering.

Palliative care, social care and assisted dying are not interchangeable. They respond to different needs and should exist alongside one another as part of a compassionate approach to the end of life.

Successive governments have been promising to reform social care for decades. Terminally ill people should not be told that their right to be heard must wait indefinitely for politicians to solve a separate and longstanding crisis.

Dave Sowry: “Dying people deserve both”

Dave Sowry’s wife, Christy, lived with multiple sclerosis and travelled to Dignitas in 2022 because the choice of an assisted death was not legally available to her at home.

Dave said:

“I spent years caring for my wife, so I do not need convincing of the importance of properly funded social care. I also know that good care, however compassionate, cannot answer every fear or relieve every form of suffering.

Social care helps people live well. Palliative care helps manage symptoms at the end of life. Assisted dying addresses a different and very specific question: whether a mentally competent, terminally ill adult should be forced to endure suffering they find unbearable when death is already approaching.

Presenting these as alternatives misunderstands what dying people and their families are asking for. We need better care, but we also need honesty about its limits. Funding one should never be made a condition of debating the other.”

The previous Terminally Ill Adults Bill passed through the House of Commons but ran out of parliamentary time in the House of Lords.

Lauren Edwards, the Labour MP for Rochester and Strood, secured second place in the private members’ bill ballot and has now reintroduced the legislation. Its Second Reading is scheduled for 11 September.

My Death, My Decision is calling on the Government to respect the parliamentary process and allow MPs a free and properly informed debate.

Terminally ill people cannot put their lives on hold while they wait for a perfect care system. They deserve excellent care, protection under the law and the right to have their voices heard.

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Today, in his first speech outside Downing Street, the Prime Minister began setting out his Government’s legislative priorities. There is speculation that this could be followed by an early King’s Speech to set out the Government’s programme. There is also speculation that the Government could seek an early general election. Either scenario could leave insufficient time for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, now reintroduced by Lauren Edwards MP, to complete its remaining parliamentary stages as a Private Member’s Bill.

Before becoming Prime Minister, Mr Burnham said in an interview with BBC Radio Manchester that he would support assisted dying legislation, despite having abstained when Parliament last considered the issue in 2015. He said his change of view was shaped by personal family experience, while emphasising the continued importance of high-quality hospice and palliative care.

The appointment of Yvette Cooper as Health Secretary also means the department responsible for implementing the legislation will be led by an MP who voted for the Bill at Third Reading. She is joined by several other senior Cabinet ministers who backed the legislation, including Chancellor John Healey, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and First Secretary of State Louise Haigh. Alex Norris, who is the new Justice Minister, also voted for the Terminally Ill Adults Bill at Third Reading. The new Government has an opportunity to provide the political support needed to help the Bill complete its passage through Parliament.

Dave Sowry, Chair of My Death, My Decision, said:

“We warmly welcome the Prime Minister’s support for assisted dying. His Government now has a real opportunity to help deliver a reform backed by the public and already approved by the elected House of Commons.

The Terminally Ill Adults Bill has been examined in exceptional detail. What matters now is that it is given a fair opportunity to complete its passage through Parliament.

For terminally ill people and their families, this is so much more than political debate. It is about having greater choice, dignity and control at the end of life. We hope the Prime Minister will work with parliamentarians across the House to help make that change a reality.”

The Bill is due to return to the House of Commons for Second Reading on Friday 11 September. My Death, My Decision said it will continue working with parliamentarians from across the House to ensure the legislation has the opportunity to complete its passage.

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 Kerry Hogan at kerry.hogan@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07922363248. (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 post Andy Burnham’s new Government urged to make assisted dying law appeared first on My Death, My Decision.

The vote means France has approved a legal right to assisted dying for adults who meet strict eligibility criteria. The legislation will now be referred to the Constitutional Council for review before it is formally enacted.

The law will apply to French citizens and legal residents aged 18 or over who have a serious and incurable illness at an advanced or terminal stage, are experiencing suffering that cannot be adequately relieved, and are able to make a free and informed decision.

The law will not be available to people travelling from the UK. Despite France being just across the Channel, only French citizens and legal residents will be entitled to use it.

Opinion polls, like a February Ifop poll, show that 84% of respondents approve of the assisted dying bill while others show support increasing over the past two decades.

Dave Sowry, Chair of My Death, My Decision, said:

“It is encouraging to see the French Parliament reflecting the wishes of the French people, as expressed through their citizens’ jury and wider public opinion.

The French public’s support for this law change mirrors the long-standing and unwavering public support for assisted dying in England and Wales.

We must hope that Parliament here reflects on the cruelty of our current law and follows the example of its French counterparts. To leave things as they are is a choice, and we deserve better.”

France’s reform follows several years of public and parliamentary debate. In 2023, a citizens’ convention made up of 184 randomly selected people backed opening access to assisted dying in certain circumstances by a clear majority.

The National Assembly had previously approved the legislation on three occasions, while the Senate repeatedly rejected it. Under the French parliamentary system, the National Assembly has the final word when the two chambers cannot reach agreement.

The vote comes as assisted dying legislation has returned to Parliament in England and Wales.

Lauren Edwards MP is bringing back the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill after securing second place in the Private Members’ Bill ballot. Its Second Reading is scheduled for Friday 11 September.

The previous Bill passed the House of Commons but fell in the House of Lords after being delayed until the end of the parliamentary session.

France has now joined Switzerland, Belgium, Spain and many other countries who have shown that assisted-dying reform can triumph when the need for change remains clear. MPs here have another opportunity to ensure terminally ill people in England and Wales are not left behind.

Notes

• France’s National Assembly approved the assisted dying legislation by 291 votes to 241 on 15 July 2026.
• The legislation will now be referred to the Constitutional Council before formal enactment.
• Access will be limited to French citizens and legal residents.
• Lauren Edwards MP is bringing back the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in England and Wales. Its Second Reading is scheduled for Friday 11 September 2026.

  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 Kerry Hogan at kerry.hogan@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07922363248. (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 post France legalises assisted dying in landmark vote  appeared first on My Death, My Decision.

Jersey has today made history by becoming the first jurisdiction in the British Isles to legalise assisted dying, after its Assisted Dying Law received Royal Assent.

The legislation has now completed the law-making process and attention turns to implementation, with an assisted dying service expected to be available from 2027. The milestone follows years of public consultation, parliamentary scrutiny and campaigning, and is another powerful demonstration that carefully safeguarded assisted dying laws are becoming a reality.

Responding to the news, Dave Sowry, Chair of My Death, My Decision, said:

“This is another historic moment for assisted dying across the British Isles.

“We particularly welcome Jersey’s decision to allow people with neurodegenerative conditions to access assisted dying where they are expected to die within 12 months. For people living with conditions such as Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s etc, the final months of life can involve a devastating loss of independence, communication and control. Recognising that reality is both compassionate and humane.

“While the proposed Terminally Ill Adults Bill for England and Wales takes a different approach, Jersey’s experience will now provide valuable evidence that a carefully safeguarded assisted dying law can be implemented safely in practice. We hope that gives Parliament further confidence as it continues considering legislation for England and Wales.”

Jersey’s law will apply to mentally competent adults who are terminally ill and have been ordinarily resident in Jersey for at least 12 months. Eligible people will be able to seek an assisted death if they are expected to die within six months, or within 12 months where they have a neurodegenerative condition.

This differs from the proposed Terminally Ill Adults Bill for England and Wales, which currently applies only to terminally ill adults who are reasonably expected to die within six months. Jersey’s inclusion of a 12-month eligibility period for people with neurodegenerative conditions recognises that some terminal illnesses involve a longer decline while still causing profound suffering and loss of autonomy.

Jersey plans to introduce its Assisted Dying Service in late 2027, and recruitment has already begun for key leadership roles to oversee the safe, ethical and compassionate delivery of the new service. During the implementation period, clinical guidance will be developed, healthcare professionals will receive specialist training, and independent oversight and regulatory arrangements will be established before the law comes into force

The Isle of Man has approved assisted dying legislation but now awaits Royal Assent, meaning Jersey has become the first jurisdiction in the British Isles to complete the legislative process for assisted dying, underlining the growing momentum behind law reform across the British Isles. As implementation begins, campaigners across the UK will be watching closely as Jersey demonstrates how a compassionate, carefully safeguarded assisted dying service can operate in practice.

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 Kerry Hogan at kerry.hogan@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07922363248. (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 post Jersey Becomes First Jurisdiction in the British Isles to Legalise Assisted Dying appeared first on My Death, My Decision.

The vote does not mean the law has passed. The bill will now return to the Senate for a final and decisive vote on 15 July 2026. If the two chambers still cannot agree, the National Assembly will have the final word.

There has already been a lot of back and forth in France, and that will feel familiar to many people in England and Wales. Progress on assisted dying is often contested and hard won. The vote took place after a “novena of prayer” was launched across the country by bishops. 

The Bill was first launched in France back in 2022 and in 2023. France’s citizens’ jury showed overwhelming support for assisted dying reform, backing legalisation in certain circumstances. That public backing has helped keep the issue alive through the twists and turns of the parliamentary process.

The French bill would create a right to assisted dying for adults with serious incurable illness, under defined conditions and subject to medical oversight. It would apply only to adults who are French citizens or stable residents in France. This eligibility criterion is more inclusive than the proposed legislation in Westminster, which only covers adults with a terminal illness and a 6-month prognosis. 

If France ultimately passes this law, it would not create a route just across the Channel for people in England and Wales. Terminally ill people here would still be left under the current law, without a safe and compassionate option at home.

In England and Wales, our own bill passed the House of Commons but fell after running out of time in the House of Lords. It has now been brought back by Lauren Edwards MP, with Second Reading scheduled for 11 September.

Dave Sowry, Chair of My Death, My Decision,

“It’s great to see the French parliament reflecting the wishes of the French people as expressed by their citizens’ jury and wider public opinion.

If the Bill in France passes this July, as it should, it will be hard not to think about what that will feel like for terminally ill people here. To know that a neighbouring country may soon offer its citizens a safe and compassionate choice that is still denied to people in England and Wales only reinforces how cruel our current law is. 

We must hope that the UK parliament reflects on this and follows the example of their French counterparts. The current UK law is unjust and lacking compassion. People need choice at the end of their lives.”

Notes

• France’s National Assembly approved the assisted dying bill by 295 votes to 232 on 30 June 2026.
• The bill now returns to the Senate. If the two chambers still fail to agree, the National Assembly can have the final word. A final decisive vote is scheduled for 15 July 2026.
• The proposed law would apply only to French citizens or residents.

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 Kerry Hogan at kerry.hogan@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07922363248. (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 post France moves closer to assisted dying law after fresh National Assembly vote appeared first on My Death, My Decision.

My Death, My Decision has welcomed today’s vote in Tynwald to approve amendments to the Assisted Dying Bill, bringing the Island one step closer to becoming the first part of the British Isles to legalise assisted dying.

The amendments were brought forward after the UK Government said further safeguards needed to be made explicit on the face of the Bill before it could be recommended for Royal Assent.

Tynwald approved the amendments by 16 votes to 6 in the House of Keys and 5 votes to 1 in the Legislative Council. 

If granted Royal Assent, the Bill would give terminally ill Manx residents, with twelve months or fewer to live, the choice of a safe and compassionate assisted death under strict safeguards. The Bill proposed in Westminster is limited to people with a life expectancy of six months or less. 

Vicky Christian, Isle of Man Organiser of My Death, My Decision, said:

“We are delighted that Tynwald has today voted in favour of amendments to the Assisted Dying Bill. Hopefully these amendments meet the requirements for the Bill to receive Royal Assent, after which we will be able to begin planning the organisation of the service, which has the support of so many Island residents.”

The Bill, introduced by Dr Alex Allinson MHK, passed its final stage in Tynwald in March 2025. It will now continue through the Royal Assent process.

The vote comes as momentum for assisted dying reform builds again across the British Isles, with the Westminster Bill now set to return to Parliament after it was blocked in the House of Lords earlier this year. 

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 Kerry Hogan at kerry.hogan@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07922363248. (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 post Isle of Man assisted dying Bill clears final hurdle and now awaits Royal Assent appeared first on My Death, My Decision.

By using her second-place position in the Private Members’ Bill ballot, Lauren Edwards MP has put assisted dying back on Parliament’s agenda.

Lauren Edwards ©House of CommonsLaurie Noble

About the filibuster of the Assisted Dying Bill: 

The Terminally Ill Adults Bill failed in the House of Lords after nearly 1,300 changes to the Bill were proposed, a record for any parliamentary Bill. 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.

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

The Bill fell because it didn’t complete all its parliamentary stages by the end of the session.

About the Parliament Act and Private Members’ Bills

If the same Bill is approved twice by the elected House of Commons, it does not require the House of Lords’ approval, and can become law without them.

The Bill still goes through every single step, including the House of Lords again. The only thing the Parliament Act does is ensure that the elected politicians have the final say, not the unelected Lords. The House of Lords can still debate, suggest changes, and vote on the Bill. The only thing it cannot do is block it again. If the Bill is filibustered in the House of Lords again, or if it is voted  down, or suggest changes that wreck the Bill that the House of Commons rejected, the Bill would still become law.

Graham Winyard, Co-chair for My Death, My Decision, said:

‘Parliament now has a chance to correct a democratic wrong, and we welcome this Bill being brought back by Lauren Edwards MP. But this is no moment for complacency. This reform should already be law. MPs backed it, the public backed it, and it should never have been derailed by a small group of unelected peers.

‘While politics catches up, terminally ill people continue to suffer behind closed doors in homes and hospitals. It is indefensible that the only route to an assisted death remains a journey to Switzerland, open only to those who are fit enough to travel, wealthy enough to afford it, and willing to die far from the people and places they love.

‘This Bill is back. Parliament must now finish the job it started.’

Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson said:

‘We congratulate Lauren Edwards MP on bringing back the Assisted Dying Bill. It’s correcting an injustice after it was undemocratically filibustered in the House of Lords. We cannot let a small group of unelected peers dictate the choices all of us have at the end of our lives. 

‘We look forward to supporting Lauren as she navigates this Bill through Parliament a second time. We hope MPs look past the campaign of disinformation, and give terminally ill people choice and compassion at the end of their lives’

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 Kerry Hogan at kerry.hogan@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07922363248. (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.

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.

Humanists UK and My Death, My Decision are both members of the Assisted Dying Coalition, along with Friends at the End, Humanist Society Scotland, and End of Life Choices Jersey.

The post Lauren Edwards MP announces return of the Assisted Dying Bill after Lords filibuster appeared first on My Death, My Decision.

My Death, My Decision has said Monday’s Commons debate underlined the strength of public feeling over the way the Assisted Dying Bill was blocked from becoming law, despite having passed the House of Commons.

The debate was triggered after more than 114,000 people signed a petition calling for Bills, backed by MPs and the public, to be allowed to complete their passage through Parliament. My Death, My Decision said that level of support shows people understand exactly what happened to the Bill and do not accept it as a legitimate outcome.

During the debate

MPs from across the Commons used Monday’s debate to express their frustration with what had happened.

Andrew George MP, who has been drawn in the Private Members’ Bill ballot, said:

“I have seen people on both sides of the debate were disgusted with the way a small minority of their Lordships were able to abuse powers available to them, not to scrutinise, but to block the bill.”

Lizzie Collinge MP said the Bill:

“was prevented from completing its parliamentary journey by a small number of unelected peers who, in my opinion, showed through their own actions that they had no respect for the constitutional settlement of this country, no respect for the House of Commons, no respect for their own role as scrutineers and no respect for the British public.”

She also spoke about the reality of the current law, saying:

“Where does that leave us? It leaves us in a dangerous status quo where terminally ill adults, with the means to do so, go abroad to die, often too early. It leaves us with a legal situation where the manner of someone’s death and the intention of the people who are with them are determined after someone is dead and can not make their views known. It leaves hundreds of terminally ill adults taking their life every year, often in very upsetting circumstances.”

Dr Simon Opher MP, who has clinical experience and served on the Bill’s Commons Committee, said:

“I would take issue with the fact that this is not a good piece of legislation. I have worked in palliative care for many, many years. This is an excellent piece of legislation. Saying it is weak is simply a tactic because you don’t agree with assisted dying.”

At the end of the debate, Leader of the House Sir Alan Campbell also confirmed that there is a route for the Terminally Ill Adults Bill to be brought back in the Commons, stating that the Parliament Act “applies to all public bills – that includes Private Members Bills.”

What happened in the Lords?

More than 75 hours were spent debating the Bill in the House of Lords, in addition to more than 100 hours in the House of Commons. The Lords transcript ran to 607,077 words, longer than War and Peace. Nearly 1,300 amendments were tabled in the Lords, yet only three minor changes were made.

Campaigners said the Bill deserved proper scrutiny, and they supported that. What followed was something different: scrutiny used as a weapon by a handful of unelected peers to stop the Bill reaching a fair conclusion.

Examples of amendments included a proposed pregnancy test requirement for all applicants, including men, a one-year holiday ban for applicants, and an unworkable requirement for half a dozen GP visits.

Why this matters now

The Government’s own response to the petition states that the primacy of the House of Commons is an established constitutional principle reflected in the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949. Hansard Society has also said the Parliament Acts can apply to Private Members’ Bills, and has published analysis of how that route could work if the same Bill returns and is approved again by the Commons.

My Death, My Decision said the Parliament Act exists for exactly these situations: where the elected House has made its view clear, and the unelected House has prevented the matter reaching a final decision. It would not remove scrutiny. It would stop scrutiny being used to kill the Bill by delay.

Terminally ill people are still waiting, and Parliament is still waiting too. No MP has yet announced they will bring the Bill back through the current Private Members’ Bill route, leaving no settled path forward at a time when public pressure is plainly growing, not fading.

What happens now?

Terminally ill people are still waiting, and Parliament is still waiting too.

No MP has yet announced they will bring the Bill back through the current Private Members’ Bill route, so there is still no settled path forward. But Monday’s debate showed that public pressure is not fading.

We are now calling for:

• MPs supportive of reform to state clearly whether they are prepared to bring the Bill back
• the Government to recognise that the Bill fell because of delay, not defeat
• Parliament to ensure that a Bill backed by the elected House cannot again be lost through procedural obstruction

Ends

Notes to editors

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

For further information, the media should contact Kerry Hogan at Kerry.Hogan@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or 07922363248.

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 post Public pressure grows over peers blocking assisted dying bill backed by MPs appeared first on My Death, My Decision.

The Government has failed democracy by missing the opportunity to set out a path forward for assisted dying reform in the King’s Speech, despite consistent, overwhelming public support and repeated votes in favour of change in the House of Commons. My Death My Decision said the omission will prolong the suffering of terminally ill people and their families, by leaving Parliament without a clear route forward after the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was blocked in the House of Lords earlier this year.

Dr Graham Winyard CBE , Co-Chair at My Death, My Decision, said:

“Dying people and their loved ones will be bitterly disappointed that theGovernment has chosen not to act.

The House of Commons made its view clear. MPs backed change. The public back change. But instead of doing what was asked of them and enabling the Bill to pass, a small number of peers resorted to procedural tactics and endless amendments to run down the clock until the legislation fell.

That is not scrutiny. It is obstruction.

The Government now has a responsibility to ensure the democratic will of the elected House is respected and that terminally ill adults are not abandoned yet again.”

My Death, My Decision said today’s King’s Speech must not mark the end of assisted dying reform this Parliament, and called for urgent action to ensure legislation can return swiftly.

The campaign group is urging:

• MPs supportive of reform to publicly commit to bringing the Bill back at the earliest opportunity;
• The Government to provide sufficient parliamentary time for proper debate and scrutiny;
• If the House of Lords tries to delay the Bill again, the Parliament Act to be used to ensure the Bill, as supported by elected MPs, becomes law.

Graham Winyard added:

“The need for this legislation is not going away, and the public is only growing more vocal with their frustration and outrage at how this issue was treated in the House of Lords. Over recent months, we have heard heartbreaking testimony from dying people, grieving families, and campaigners who are frankly fed up with being spoken about as though they are victims who don’t know their own minds. This campaign is for those people who deserve better than delay and parliamentary gamesmanship.

The next step must now be clear: bring the Bill back, allow Parliament to do its job properly, and finally give terminally ill adults the choice and compassion they deserve.”

Attention will now turn to the next Private Members’ Bill ballot, currently expected on 21 May, with campaigners urging supportive MPs to back fresh efforts to reintroduce assisted dying legislation at the earliest possible opportunity.

Notes to editors:

For media enquiries, please contact Kerry.hogan@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or call 07922363248.

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.

Members of the team and people with personal stories are available for interview.

The post Government Cannot Ignore Assisted Dying Reform After King’s Speech Silence appeared first on My Death, My Decision.