British MPs Reject Legalization of Assisted Dying in England and Wales

British lawmakers voted on Friday to reject a bill that would have legalized assisted dying in England and Wales. In a close vote, 286 members of the House of Commons voted against the text while 270 voted in favor. The proposed legislation would have allowed assisted dying for adults with a terminal illness and a life expectancy of less than six months, provided the request was approved by two doctors and a group of specialists and the patient could self administer the lethal substance.

The bill was introduced by Labour MP Lauren Edwards as a nearly identical version of a previous proposal that had been approved in June 2025 but stalled in the House of Lords in April. Prime Minister Andy Burnham and the Labour government remained neutral on the issue, allowing MPs to vote according to their own conscience. Under current law, assisting a suicide remains a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Supporters of the bill, including the organization Dignity in Dying, argued that the law would allow terminally ill adults to die with dignity. Conversely, critics and the collective Assist Us To Live argued that the measure could put elderly people and those with disabilities at risk. While a September 7 Ipsos poll indicated that two in three Britons favor legalization in principle, the Scottish Parliament also rejected a similar project in March. It is now expected that such legislation will not be passed again during the current legislative period, with the next general election scheduled for 2029.