LONDON, United Kingdom: The UK assisted dying bill was defeated in the House of Commons on Friday by a 16-vote majority after dozens of previous supporters failed to back the legislation.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would have legalised assisted dying for terminally ill adults with less than six months to live. It had previously passed the Commons before stalling in the House of Lords.
Labour MP Lauren Edwards later reintroduced the legislation. However, 44 MPs who had previously supported it did not back it this time, including 33 Labour MPs.
Among those who did not record a vote were Louise Haigh and John Healey, both of whom had previously supported the bill. It was unclear whether all such absences represented deliberate abstentions.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham also abstained after previously saying he did not want to influence MPs. He has argued that funding for palliative and social care should take priority over introducing assisted dying.
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Some former supporters switched sides. Labour MP Janet Daby voted against the bill over concerns about coercion, while Ashley Dalton and other critics described the legislation as unsafe and unworkable.
Supporters have signalled that they will try again. Edwards said campaigners would continue working toward another bill.
