MPs vote to allow assisted dying in England and Wales

Melton and Syston MP Edward Argar (Con) voted against the proposal, as did Rushcliffe MP James Naish (Lab).

Alicia Kearns, MP for Rutland and Stamford, voted in favour of the bill.

It was a free vote in Parliament with MPs asked to follow their own conscience after consulting constituents.

Mr Argar told the Melton Times that he had received more letters on the assisted dying debate from constituents than on any other issue since he was elected in July.

Shortly after voting against the bill, he told us: “There are incredibly strongly and sincerely held views on both sides of the debate on assisted dying, which must be treated with great respect.

“I read carefully the bill, listened to the debate, and reflected very carefully on the messages and views, and very personal stories, sent to me in recent weeks by a huge number of constituents in Melton and Syston, and only finally decided how to vote today.

“Decisions such as this are incredibly difficult, however having reflected deeply, I voted against this bill.

"While I can absolutely appreciate the case made for the bill, I believe real concerns remained about the strength of the safeguards in the bill to ensure that someone could not be at risk of being pressured into an assisted death, and about how the bill would actually work in practice.

"Now the bill has passed this stage in the House of Commons I will seek to work with those promoting the bill to see those concerns addressed in committee and in subsequent parliamentary debates.”

Mrs Kearns, one of the bill’s supporters, spoke movingly during the debate about the last days of her mother’s life as she suffered intense pain from cancer.

She told the House: “For too many, death is not a singular moment but an excruciating journey of terror and agony...I ask colleagues to vote for this bill to allow a long legislative process to proceed and together to commit to shortening the suffering of those who are terminally ill in our society because they deserve that choice.”

The final vote was 330 in favour and 275 against the bill – a 55 majority – following an emotive debate which lasted over four hours.

Both the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, former PM Rishi Sunak and Green Party leader Carla Denyer voted in favour.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch voted against the proposal, as did Lib Dem leader Ed Davey and Reform leader Nigel Farage.

There will still be tight scrutiny of the proposals and another Parliamentary vote after it has passed through the House of Lords before it can be made law.

If approved, it means that terminally ill adults who are expected to die within six months could seek help to end their own life.

The individual would also need approval from two independent doctors and a High Court judge before they can go ahead.

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who brought the bill before Parliament, said there would now be extensive consultation with all parties relevant to the issue.