The assisted suicide baton passes from Kim Leadbeater on to Lauren Edwards, Labour MP for Rochester and Strood. In the media build up to the first reading of the bill, Edwards expressed how she wanted the Lords to “finish its job” and pass the bill. The bill’s reintroduction is an opportunity to campaign for true choice at the end of life and squash support for the principle of assisted suicide for a generation, here’s how.

When the first attempt to legalise assisted suicide ran out of time in the previous parliamentary session, all eyes shifted to the private members’ bill ballot following the King’s Speech. On Thursday 21 May, 20 MPs were drawn in the ballot to legislate on an issue or interest they care about. In reality, the first seven MPs selected would have time and a realistic chance of becoming law. Below are the list of first seven MPs drawn in this ballot and how they voted at third reading:

  • Sir Desmond Swayne, voted against
  • Lauren Edwards, voted in support
  • Mike Wood, voted against
  • Andrew George, voted in support
  • Dr Luke Evans, voted in support
  • Sir John Whittingdale, voted against
  • Jessica Toale, voted in support

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Based on this split, there was a 50:50 chance this issue could return in this parliamentary session.

On Wednesday 17 June, it was confirmed that efforts to legalise assisted suicide would return, ending months of speculation. The Labour MP for Rochester and Strood reintroduced the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which will receive second reading on Friday 11 September. This now sparks a summer of national debate on the workability of the bill and the ethical implications in the state granting powers to end someone’s life. 

Edwards in the lead up to yesterday made several media appearances where she set out her case for resuscitating the assisted suicide bill, which can be summarised in three ways:

  1. In her view, this bill  ​“gives choice at the end of life”.
  2. She believes ​“it undermines public trust in democracy’ if the majority wish of the Commons is not enacted”.
  3. She asked members in the House of Lords ​“to finish the job they should have completed earlier this year”, namely, to agree to pass an assisted suicide bill. 

For Edwards to re-present to parliament the exact same bill that passed at third reading from a year ago is troubling, especially as proponents for it have chosen to dismiss the concerns raised by several royal colleges, disability groups, domestic abuse services and end-of-life- care specialists. However, there is cause for optimism that the second time round, a positive case can be made as to how regressive this policy is. I set out three causes for optimism below.

1. Labour MPs are outspoken in their opposition

The Labour Party, both the government and its backbenchers, are struggling to find unity in purpose and conviction since the 2024 general election. Reintroducing assisted suicide will expose divisions amongst Labour parliamentarians. 

Ashley Dalton is a Labour MP for West Lancashire and campaigner for metastatic breast cancer. In her comment in The Independent she said: ​“voters put us in power to reduce the cost of living and fix the NHS. We have debated this deeply divisive and flawed assisted dying bill for over a year and supporters have refused to listen or to make the necessary changes.” 

This is a view shared amongst several prominent Labour figures who are behind the scenes and publicly trying to convince their peers to prioritise time and efforts to legislate on matters related to the economy and cost of living. 

2. An unlikely alliance is mobilising, united in their efforts to protect the most vulnerable in society

During the last parliamentary session and debate there was strong accusation that those with religious beliefs should not be outspoken in their opposition to the bill or principle of assisted suicide. Interestingly, moral arguments against the bill grew from those ​‘non card-carrying Christians’ or people of faith. For example, academic and author Kathleen Stock wrote a book on the subject and questioned the ethics of the health and social care sector engaged in ending life. And most recently, Ann Furedi, one of the leading pro-choice advocates when it comes to abortion, described reviving the assisted suicide bill as ​“a serious mistake”.

There is an unlikely and informal alliance forming across the country, between Christians and those of different faiths and none on this issue. Typically, where there would be disagreement on other contested issues, there is a shared conviction on protecting the inherent dignity of those most vulnerable in need of care and support. The church should be the moral conscience of any nation and so our prayer is that the church would be a pillar and foundation of truth (1 Timothy 3:15), outlining the dangers in legalising assisted suicide and offering hope in reforming end-of-life care.

The Other Half campaigning outside Lauren Edward's constituency office
Source: The Other Half woman's advocacy group alongside disability charities and local residents outside Lauren Edwards constituency office expressing their upset in the bills return.

3. Public support for assisted suicide is waning

Proponents to legalise assisted suicide argue this is an issue endorsed by celebrities like Esther Rantzen, Rankin, Prue Leith and is overwhelmingly supported by the public, but that is not the whole truth. The more the specifics of the assisted suicide and implications of the bill were discussed the more opinions shifted from support to against because how unworkable and unsafe the bill was.

In May 2026, MRP polled over 10, 220 UK adults online to get their views across a range of policy priorities and attitudes to assisted suicide. When asked what issue would you like your MP to prioritise and could change the law on in the next year, the top three responses were reducing NHS waiting lists (36%) controlling immigration (38%) and lower energy prices (32%). Legalising assisted suicide came in at 7%. Put another way, assisted suicide is a low and non-priority. Communicating this is one of our core messages to MPs and we encourage our members to do the same.

Here’s how you can make a difference

Friday 11 September is second reading. As the advocacy team we are focused on identifying Labour MPs who can switch their support from in favour to against and briefing many more MPs reminding them of the dangers in introducing assisted suicide into a failing health and social care sector. This is particularly important for four vulnerable groups.

As evangelicals living in different constituencies across England and Wales we are encouraging you to:

  1. pray for your MP regularly. Pray that they would have the courage to vote no to this bill at second reading
  2. email them and to set out the policy priorities you believe are important for where you live. It is important MPs hear other issues are priority for local constituents.

You can find out who your MP is by visiting par​lia​ment​.uk.

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Is the assisted suicide bill finished?

Is the assisted suicide bill finished?

“Let us not become weary in doing good,” Mark Gilmore reminds us – even if assisted suicide legislation is reintroduced
Mark Gilmore Mark Gilmore
23 April 2026