Assisted dying vote will take place this week: Results expected to be very close

MPs will this week vote for the first time on a bill that would legalise assisted dying for people who are terminally ill in England and Wales.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, brought forward by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, would allow adults with less than six months left to live the choice of taking their own lives.

For a person to be eligible under the proposed law, they must also be aged 18 or older and have the mental capacity to make the choice, which must be signed off by at least two doctors and a High Court judge.

MPs will cast their votes on Friday, in the first debate and vote of its kind in the House of Commons since 2015.

According to ITV news, 135 MPs are so far planning to vote for it, 85 plan to vote against it, 121 remain undecided and 23 are due to abstain.

This means we can share the voting intention of 364 of the 650 MPs so far and will keep updating the graph below over the course of the week.

If the majority vote in favour of the bill, this does not mean it will become law. There are several more stages that the bill would have to go through first, meaning it will be months before a definitive conclusion is reached.

The issue has split MPs across party lines but Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it will be a free vote, meaning the government’s position on this is neutral.

Cabinet ministers were asked not to share their voting intentions and views around them so as not to influence other MPs, but several have done so claiming they were asked directly about their previously stated views.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he’ll vote against it - (causing some controversy by sharing his views) given he would have to implement this legislation should it pass - as will Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said he’ll vote in favour, as will Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Science and Tech Secretary Peter Kyle.

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This is indeed a quite important and sensitive topic. How do you think the decision will impact those who are facing terminal illness in the future?

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I think the law if passed, will allow people to die with more dignity and less suffering, I believe that the legislation consists of effective safeguards. However, I am not convinced whether it will pass ?

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