Assisted dying bill to run out of time as Lords hold final debate

Leadbeater said MPs who support the bill would be willing to take the same bill into the next session if they succeed in the private members’ ballot, with hopes it would clear the Commons again and reach agreement with peers on amendments.

The article notes that the next session of Parliament is expected to begin on 13 May 2026, providing a path for another attempt at the proposals if lawmakers choose to proceed.

The Parliament Acts were last used in 2004 to push through a ban on fox hunting, a historical precedent cited in discussions about potential remedies if the bill stalls again.

The article notes that under the Parliament Acts, if an identical bill passes the Commons a second time, the Lords cannot prevent it from progressing and it could become law at the end of the second session without Lords’ approval.

Labour peer Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the bill’s sponsor in the Lords, tabled a proposal to allow peers to discuss the issue more generally on Friday rather than continue progress through the amendment paper.

Baroness Grey-Thompson, who opposes the bill, said peers have been scrutinising it and defended the claim that the debate has exposed gaps. She argued that the safeguards are not sufficient and that more is needed.

Several peers who support the bill signed a letter to MPs saying the elected chamber should decide what happens next and that Parliament must decide on end-of-life choice as soon as possible. They accused opponents in the Lords of delaying tactics.

In the Lords, the bill had not cleared all stages, and Friday marked the 14th and final day of Committee, during which the bill would be assessed line by line and amendments considered. There is no further debate time allocated beyond Friday in this session.

MPs in the House of Commons voted in favour of allowing terminally ill adults expected to die within six months to seek medical help to end their life, subject to safeguards. This represented the initial Commons backing for the proposal ahead of Lords scrutiny.