Assisted dying bill at risk of collapse as grim ‘sabotage’ warning issued

The assisted dying bill is at risk of “sabotage” by the House of Lords, warned campaigners. The controversial bill, which was brought to Parliament by Kim Leadbeater MP in October 2024, is currently stuck with the peers and rapidly approaching its approval deadline after they tabled more than 1,000 amendments.

Frustrated MPs have vowed to reintroduce the Bill if it fails to be approved within six weeks, when the deadline runs out. Dame Esther Rantzen, a former broadcaster who has terminal cancer, accused the Lords on Thursday of “absolute blatant sabotage”. She told Sky News: “This is a handful of peers putting down 1,200 amendments not to scrutinise the bill, which is their job, but to block it.”

It was originally introduced by Ms Leadbeater through the private member’s bill. This system randomly selects individuals through a ballot so they can bring their ideas to Parliament on any topic they would like.

It proposed that adults who are terminally ill, mentally competent, and have six months to live or less should have the option to choose assisted dying.

If it fails to go through the House of Lords, around 50 MPs are planning to bring forward exactly the same proposal through the private member’s bill again, to increase the likelihood that one of them is chosen in the ballot, according to The Telegraph.

Then, if they are able to get the same Bill through the Commons again in two successive sessions, they will be able to pass it into law without the Lords’ approval through something called the Parliament Act. Ms Leadbeater said MPs should consider using this if her Bill fails.

Dr Simon Opher, the Labour MP for Stroud, said he would offer to reintroduce the Terminally Ill Adults Bill.

“86% of the British public want the bill to return in the next session – myself and a group of MPs will do everything we can to make this a reality and invoke the Parliament Act,” he said.

It was hotly debated and one of the most controversial Bills to enter Parliament. It was passed through to the House of Lords by a small margin, with 314 MPs voting in favour and 291 voting against on June 20, 2025.

It states the person must have mental capacity throughout the process. Two doctors must independently confirm that the person meets the eligibility criteria and has made a voluntary decision, free from coercion. They then must have a 7-day period of reflection between the two medical assessments.

A multidisciplinary panel consisting of a senior lawyer, psychiatrist and social worker oversee the process. The person must have a 14-day period of reflection after the expert panel’s decision.

Critics have warned that, in its current state, the Bill lacks sufficient safety measures to protect the most vulnerable, which is why so many amendments have been tabled.

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