MPs Vote In Favour Of Assisted Dying Bill

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater speaks to the press during a gathering in favour of the proposal to legalise euthanasia in the UK.

MPs have backed a landmark bill to legalise assisted dying in the UK.

In a historic vote, they supported the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill by 330 votes to 275.

It followed five hours of intense Commons debate as supporters and opponents of the historic locked horns.

Although the legislation still has several more hurdles to clear as it makes its way through parliament, today’s result is a huge step towards it becoming law.

If it does make it onto the statute book, terminally ill adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live will be granted the right to choose to end their life with medical assistance.

The private member’s bill was introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, but MPs were given a free vote because it is a matter of conscience.

Nevertheless, the debate exposed splits within the Cabinet.

Health secretary Wes Streeting and justice secretary Shabana Mahmood spoke out against the bill, while work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall and energy secretary Ed Miliband were among those making clear they would vote for it.

Lord Cameron became the first former prime minister to support the bill earlier this week after Gordon Brown, Baroness Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss spoke out against it.

But, only Cameron and May have seats in the House of Lords meaning they will get to vote on it once the bill is processed in the Commons.

MPs last voted on the issue in 2015, and rejected a different set of proposals by 330 votes to 118.