The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was supported by 314 votes to 291, a majority of 23, as it cleared the Commons, paving the way for assisted dying services to be introduced by the end of the decade.
The legislation will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny but the decision by MPs to give the Bill its third reading means it is now almost guaranteed to make it onto the statute book and become law.
The bill will allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist.
Critics of the legislation have warned its safeguards are not strong enough and vulnerable people could be coerced or feel pressured into ending their lives early.
The margin of victory was significantly smaller than it was in November last year when MPs backed the Bill in principle by 330 votes to 275, a majority of 55.
Sir Keir Starmer voted in favour of the Bill but other Cabinet heavyweights, including Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner, voted against.
In the debate, Labour MP and former shadow minister for disabled people Vicky Foxcroft highlighted opposition from disabled people, who are among those most likely to experience pressure and coercion in relation to ending their lives.
I don’t claim that every disabled person opposes assisted dying but I do claim that the vast majority of disabled people and their organisations oppose it.
They need the health and social care system fixing first. They want us as parliamentarians to assist them to live, not to die. ...<<<Read More>>>...
