In a significant development for the protection of life, MPs in England and Wales voted 286–270 to defeat an assisted suicide bill, preventing the measure from advancing in Parliament.
The vote follows a two-year national debate over assisted suicide. The bill had previously advanced through the House of Commons with decreasing majorities before running out of time in the House of Lords. The latest measure, introduced by Lauren Edwards MP, was defeated at its second reading.
The result means assisted suicide will remain illegal in England and Wales, while attention now turns to improving end-of-life care and access to high-quality palliative care.
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