UK Parliament sees renewed attempt to pass assisted suicide bill

Labour MP Lauren Edwards has reintroduced the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, aiming to legalise assisted suicide for adults in England and Wales who have been given a prognosis of six months or less to live. The legislation, originally put forward by MP Kim Leadbeater and rejected by the House of Lords in 2025, would bypass further Lords opposition by invoking the Parliament Act, a mechanism that has been used only seven times since 1911.

The bill has drawn sharp criticism from a range of groups. Archbishop John Sherrington, representing the Catholic bishops of England and Wales, called the proposal "deeply flawed" and warned it places vulnerable people at risk. Medical bodies such as the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of Physicians, as well as disability and anti‑suicide‑activist organisations, have also voiced opposition, arguing the measure undermines safeguards and professional conscience. Public polling shows limited appetite for the change, with most respondents preferring improvements to palliative care over legalising assisted dying. Under current law, assisting suicide remains a criminal offence under the Suicide Act 1961.