Peers are being urged to approach the upcoming assisted dying debate in the House of Lords with “care and compassion”, as a record number are expected to contribute to the discussion on the issue.
The debate centres on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which proposes to legalise assisted dying under specific circumstances. The legislation will be examined during a two-day debate starting today.
The proposed law would apply across England and Wales and be limited to adults diagnosed with a terminal illness and a life expectancy of less than six months.
Supporters of the bill have welcomed further scrutiny, while opponents argue it must be firmly resisted.
A second reading is scheduled for 19 September, when additional peers will speak and the bill could potentially be put to a vote.
Although the House of Lords is primarily viewed as a revising chamber that reviews legislation in detail after it passes the Commons, peers can ask MPs to reconsider parts of a bill when they believe it’s necessary.
Supporters of assisted dying – including terminally ill Childline founder Dame Esther Rantzen – have urged peers not to stand in the way of the proposed legislation.
While it is uncommon for bills to be voted on at second reading in the House of Lords, peers can request a vote, which means the legislation could be rejected at the end of next week’s debate.
If that happens, the bill would be rejected, and any attempt to legalise assisted dying would have to restart the parliamentary process.
Supporters warn that if the bill is blocked, it could be another decade before parliament has another opportunity to change the law. However, Conservative MP James Cleverly said during a Commons debate earlier this year that it shouldn’t be seen as a “now or never” moment.
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Around 190 peers have signed up to speak during the two-day debate, which would break the previous record of 187 speakers set during the second reading of the EU withdrawal bill in 2018, if all of them contribute.
Former lord chancellor and justice secretary Lord Charlie Falconer, who is sponsoring the bill in the Lords, said the proposed law will “benefit from the experience and expertise of the Lords”.
Dame Esther, who has branded the current law “cruel and messy”, said: “If the Lords can show the same care and compassion (as the Commons), it’s a unique opportunity for them to support and protect the most vulnerable.”
Among those opposing assisted dying is Church of England bishop Dame Sarah Mullally, who has previously stated that the current version of the bill should be rejected.
Ahead of today’s debate, she said she intends to repeat her “deep concerns” and “grave fears” regarding the bill’s “potential to disproportionately impact the most vulnerable in our society”.
Supporters of the bill have called it one of the safest in the world, as it requires approval for assisted death from two doctors and an expert panel.
