Starmer unlikely to allocate more time for assisted dying bill, ministers believe

"The bill, which was passed by the Commons, is now certain to be blocked in the House of Lords without ever reaching a vote because of the large number of amendments its opponents have tabled and debated. MPs who spoke to the Guardian said they had been radicalised in favour of a serious overhaul of the House of Lords because of the way the bill had been in effect killed off by a handful of peers who oppose it."

"Starmer is personally supportive of assisted dying and is angry with the conduct of the House of Lords in blocking the bill. But some of the bill's most vocal advocates in parliament have said they do not believe there is any hope of the prime minister choosing to give time to the bill, because of the divisions it would reignite within Labour."

"The private member's bill's sponsors, the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater and the Labour peer Charles Falconer, have said they hope to use the Parliament Act to bypass the House of Lords in the next session of parliament. That would require Starmer to allocate some government time to the bill, or supporters to win another slot in the private members' bill ballot to table the bill again."

The assisted dying bill, passed by the Commons, faces certain blockage in the House of Lords due to over 1,200 amendments tabled by opponents, effectively preventing it from reaching a vote before April 24. Senior ministers believe Prime Minister Keir Starmer will not intervene to provide additional parliamentary time for the bill in the next session, fearing it would create new divisions among Labour MPs. Although Starmer personally supports assisted dying and is frustrated with the Lords' conduct, bill sponsors Kim Leadbeater and Charles Falconer hope to use the Parliament Act to bypass the upper chamber. Scotland rejected a similar bill by 69 to 57 votes. Opponents argue the amendments are necessary due to flaws that could endanger vulnerable people. MPs frustrated by the Lords' obstruction have called for serious reform of the chamber.

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