UK Parliament rejects assisted suicide – find out how Scottish MPs voted

On Friday, MPs voted 286-270 to reject Lauren Edwards’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

Following a day of robust and deeply considered debate, a majority of MPs concluded that they could not support the Bill, which was near-identical to the Bill tabled by Kim Leadbeater last year. Members highlighted several concerns, including what they viewed as insufficient safeguards, particularly regarding the risk of coercion among vulnerable groups such as disabled individuals and victims of domestic abuse.

The vote comes just a few months after MSPs in Holyrood voted to reject a similar bill introduced by Liam McArthur.

Bishop John Keenan, President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, stated:

 “MPs can be confident that they have taken the correct and responsible course of action. Their vote serves to protect some of the UK’s most vulnerable individuals from the risk of being pressured into a premature death.”

He added: “Every human life possesses inherent value. Genuine compassion is not expressed through ending a life, but through accompanying those who suffer and ensuring they receive the medical, emotional, and spiritual support that recognises their dignity. No life is without worth.

“As a society, our responsibility is not to address suffering by eliminating the sufferer, but to surround each person with care, respect, and dignity until their natural end. [This] decision, in conjunction with the decision of the Scottish Parliament in March, moves the UK further in that direction, and MPs should be commended for this.”

Bishop Keenan reminded parliamentarians that progress must now be made to improve palliative care across the country, urging the Government to ensure that care is “properly funded and accessible to all who require it.”

Bishop Keenan thanked all MPs for their serious engagement and thoughtful and considered attention to the Bill. He added that he was “especially grateful to those who upheld the principle of human dignity and advocated on behalf of the vulnerable.”  

He also expressed his thanks to the countless people across the country who took the time to contact MPs in advance of the vote, noting that it is the second time this year that they have stepped up to the plate and persuaded parliamentarians to reject such legislation. 

If you are able, please contact your MP, to thank them for their careful and thoughtful consideration of this important matter.

Below is a list of MPs representing Scottish constituencies, and how they voted on the Bill.

You can contact your MP by entering your postcode on this page.

Scottish MPs who voted FOR the Bill

Scottish MPs who voted AGAINST the Bill

Scottish MPs who did NOT VOTE on the Bill