Assisted dying one step closer to being legal in UK as bill passes vote in parliament

A bill on assisted dying in the UK has been passed by a vote in parliament, with MPs voting 330 for and 275 against to pass the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

If this bill became law it would allow terminally ill adults with a life expectancy of less than six months to be able to end their lives.

This was a free vote so no political party was pressuring its MPs to choose a certain way, though voting data indicates that the prime minister Sir Keir Starmer voted in support of the bill.

At present encouraging or assisting suicide is illegal in England and Wales, and could result in someone being imprisoned for up to 14 years, this bill would change that in certain specific circumstances.

It is a very controversial topic, with different groups supporting opposite sides of the debate demonstrating outside parliament today.

Campaigners for and against the assisted dying bill demonstrated outside parliament. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who brought the bill to parliament, said it could provide 'a much better approach towards end of life', and insisted that assisted dying would not replace palliative care for those who wished not to pursue it.

She said that 'the choice of an assisted death should be one component of a holistic approach to end-of-life care', in cases when palliative care couldn't meet the needs of a dying person.

Opponents of the bill have said that the government could do better for people who are terminally ill instead, with Tory MP Danny Kruger calling it a 'state suicide service'.

He's at odds with his mother, Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith, on this subject as he said that the bill was 'too flawed'.

This vote doesn't make assisted dying legal in the UK, as the bill will now face amendments in committees before going through further votes in the House of Commons and House of Lords so any change in the law would not happen in 2024.

More to follow.