New Facts: Commons backers prepare new assisted dying bill

Four of the seven MPs drawn at the top of this year’s Commons private members’ bill ballot backed Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill at its final Commons vote last session. They are Lauren Edwards, Andrew George, Luke Evans and Jessica Toale. The seven drawn, in order, were Desmond Swayne, Edwards, Mike Wood, George, Evans, John Whittingdale and Toale.

Campaigners plan to revive the same text by persuading one of these high-placed MPs to adopt it and then use a procedure that lets the Commons bypass the Lords if it is blocked again. Using that procedure, the Parliament Acts, on a private member’s bill would be a first. Only the first seven ballot winners usually get enough time for a bill to have a real chance.

Andrew George has said the assisted dying bill is on his list of options for his slot. New polling finds fewer than one in three want the same bill brought back immediately, while just over half either do not want it back or want a version with stronger safeguards.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources