Growing number of MPs changing their mind on assisted dying

Opposition to a measure which would legalise assisted dying successful England and Wales is increasing among MPs, the BBC has found.

The Assisted Dying Bill was supported by 330 MPs past year, passing its archetypal large ballot successful the House of Commons with a bulk of 55 MPs from a wide scope of governmental parties.

But astatine slightest a twelve MPs who backed it oregon abstained successful November person present said they are apt to ballot against it.

The measure would let terminally sick adults with little than six months to unrecorded to person aesculapian assistance to dice

Supporters stay assured it volition yet go instrumentality but it faces further parliamentary tests.

The measure is simply a backstage members' bill, sponsored by backbench Labour MP Kim Leadbeater.

MPs person been fixed a escaped ballot connected it, meaning they tin determine based connected their conscience alternatively than having to travel a enactment line.

They person spent the past fewer months examining it successful detail, with much than 500 amendments tabled.

Some of these changes volition beryllium voted connected by MPs adjacent Friday - and a last Commons ballot volition instrumentality spot successful the summer, earlier it heads to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.

Markus Campbell-Savours, the Labour MP for Penrith and Solway, is 1 of those who has said he's present apt to ballot against the measure aft antecedently supporting it.

He said helium inactive considers himself "a protagonist of assisted dying" but believes the existent measure crosses "red lines for protecting the vulnerable".

"I privation to spot safeguards that volition guarantee that assisted dying is not overextended to see those successful situations wherever determination are alternate ways to amended the prime of their lives," said Campbell-Savours.

"I would besides beryllium precise acrophobic if authorities produced a concern wherever radical who considered themselves a load connected their families and friends felt pressured to extremity their life."

Fellow Labour MP Josh Fenton-Glynn besides plans to ballot no, having antecedently abstained.

"If you'd asked maine astatine immoderate constituent successful my beingness what I thought of assisted dying, I'd person ever said successful favour," helium told the BBC.

He has suggested a fig of amendments to the bill, and claims helium is "still unfastened to supporting" the plans, but doubts it volition alteration aft Leadbeater blocked erstwhile akin attempts.

"We spot rather a fewer of the amendments which are specifically aimed astatine stopping coercion being opposed by the supporters of the bill," helium said, adding: "I don't deliberation chances to marque the measure safer person been taken."

The 2 MPs person added their names to a increasing database of their colleagues who person suggested they volition power sides including: Tory erstwhile curate George Freeman, Tory MPs Mike Wood and Andrew Snowden, Lib Dem Brian Matthew, Labour's Jonathan Hinder, Reform UK main whip Lee Anderson and ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe.

Labour MP Debbie Abrahams and Tory MP Charlie Dewhirst, who abstained previously, volition ballot against.

Labour's Karl Turner, who voted successful favour astatine 2nd reading, is present abstaining.

Tory MP David Davis has not announced however helium plans to formed his adjacent vote, but has publically backed a fig of amendments that would marque sweeping changes to the bill.

Some MPs person besides changed their stance, by supporting the bill. Minister Chris Bryant is understood to beryllium backing it, having abstained successful November. Labour MP Jack Abbott, who voted against past November, is besides present apt to ballot successful favour.

Others who were hesitantly supportive are present much firmly successful favour.

Liz Saville Roberts, the person of Plaid Cymru astatine Westminster, said she was initially acrophobic but supported the rule of assisted dying.

"I deliberation the safeguards person got stronger," she said. "They person been improved done the measure committee and done the grounds that we heard."

One of the changes made arsenic the measure was scrutinised was allowing Senedd members a ballot connected whether it volition use successful Wales.

Despite opposition, supporters expect the measure to wide the Commons and spell connected to the House of Lords.

Campaigners backing the measure bash not expect galore MPs to reverse their views - but with specified choky margins, efforts to enactment up enactment are successful afloat swing.

One large threat, for supporters of the bill, is MPs deciding to instrumentality location to their constituencies alternatively of voting.

Due to a quirk of the parliamentary system, backstage members' bills are usually debated connected Fridays - a time erstwhile MPs are usually successful their constituencies.

There is besides increasing interest that the authorities cannot spend to support giving it parliamentary time.

One Labour root opposed to the measure told the BBC: "Given the immense magnitude of hard issues the authorities face, from wintertime substance payments and Personal Independence Payment to defence and peculiar acquisition needs and disabilities spending, a choky ballot connected assisted dying becomes a existent problem.

"Lots of MPs deliberation No 10 would beryllium unwise to expend governmental superior continuing with this precise divisive contented alternatively than choosing to hole the worldly we got elected to sort."