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ApprovedConcludedLegislation
Title

Assisted dying bill passes the Commons but falls in the Lords

Date
20 June 2025 (Commons third reading)

What happened?

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a private member’s bill introduced by the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, would have allowed some terminally ill adults in England and Wales to seek assistance to end their lives. MPs had a free vote, and the government stayed neutral.

The bill passed all its Commons stages, including a third reading on 20 June 2025. Its committee stage in the Lords ran out of time, and the bill fell at the end of the session in April 2026.

Relevant factual details

  • VerifiedCommons second reading on 29 November 2024.
  • ReportedCommons third reading passed on 20 June 2025, reported as 314 votes to 291.
  • ReportedLords committee stage ran over 14 sitting Fridays from November 2025 to April 2026, with more than 1,200 amendments tabled.
  • ReportedThe bill fell at the end of the session because it had not completed its Lords stages.
  • ReportedThe government remained neutral throughout.

Verified Confirmed against an original or authoritative source
Reported Taken from a secondary or reference source; to be confirmed against the original
Source to check Established knowledge, but the cited source has not yet been opened

Why is it politically significant?

The bill shows the legislative process at its most independent of the executive: a backbench bill, a free vote and a neutral government. It also shows the Lords shaping the outcome through prolonged scrutiny rather than a vote of rejection.

For political ideas, it illustrates the liberal argument for individual autonomy and the harm principle against arguments about protecting vulnerable people. Support and opposition crossed party lines.

Arguments and counterarguments

Which arguments does it support?

The House of Lords can significantly affect legislation

Reasoning
A revising chamber’s influence can come from scrutiny and time, not only from votes.
Evidence
More than 1,200 amendments and 14 committee days left the bill unable to finish before the session ended.
How it supports the argument
The Lords’ handling of the bill decided that it would not become law in that session.

Backbenchers can initiate major social legislation

Reasoning
Private members’ bills let MPs bring forward issues the government will not.
Evidence
A private member’s bill on assisted dying passed all its Commons stages on a free vote.
How it supports the argument
A major proposed change to the law was driven by a backbench MP rather than the government.

Which counterarguments exist?

Alternative view

The Lords was doing its job

Supporters of the Lords’ approach argue that a bill on such a serious issue needed detailed scrutiny, so the time taken reflects responsible revision rather than obstruction.

Other explanations

Lack of government time was decisive

Without government support, private members’ bills have limited time. The outcome may reflect the government’s neutrality as much as the Lords’ role.

Limits of the evidence

Ideological readings need care

Support and opposition crossed party and ideological lines; the vote is not evidence that liberalism or conservatism as a whole takes one position.

Concepts and connections

Concepts it illustrates

Backbencher

Sources and verification

Event20 June 2025 (Commons third reading)
Added to bank4 November 2026
Last checked4 November 2026
Next check due4 May 2027
  1. 1
    Publisher Bevan BrittanPublished 5 May 2026Type Legal briefingChecked 4 November 2026
    Limitation: Law firm briefing; does not give vote tallies.
    Opened
  2. 2
    Publisher CAREPublished June 2025Type Campaign organisationChecked not yet opened
    Limitation: Campaigning organisation opposed to the bill; only the headline has been seen. Use the official division record.
    Source to check

About this example

Is it still current?

Concluded

The bill fell at the end of the session in April 2026. Check for any new bill.

Why it is in the bank

Shows the legislative process, the Lords and liberal ideas on individual autonomy together.

  • ✓Relevance to the specification
  • PartlyStrength and reliability of the evidenceThe third reading vote comes from a campaigning source; the official division record should be added.
  • ✓Importance to a wider political debate
  • ✓Usefulness in evaluative essays
  • ✓Connections to other topics
  • ✓Sufficiently current
  • ✓Adds something new to the bank

Editorial status

Approved

Signed off for students.

Origin: AI draft (Claude) · Reviewer: Editor

Every fact on this page has been checked against original sources.